Galatians 6:7-10 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
"Let us do good to ALL PEOPLE" presents a difficult challenge for most of us. We do not mind doing good to those who love us or care about us, but we often have difficulty doing good to all people, especially those outside of our general acquaintance or familiarity. It is easier to love those who look like us, talk like us, live like us. Most of the time we have some difficulty aiding or helping those we do not appreciate, understand or care for, particularly those who will not or cannot reciprocate our goodness to them. Our unreserved love often stops on the shore of life with those who love us. We are not likely to jump into the boat to venture out into the sea of being GOOD TO ALL PEOPLE. Jesus was very direct in this idea of venturing out beyond that which is comfortable for us emotionally or psychologically. We put his words in last week's breakfast, and we do well to read them again: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:43-48) Why did Jesus ask us to sail out into waters that are unfamiliar, that go far beyond our natural inclinations? For we are made of flesh where our very survival can depend upon hating those who hate us or destroying our enemies before they destroy us? Why ask us to love our enemies and to pray for our persecutors? How unsound is this idea of caring for those who hate us in a real world of absolute consequences? Why claim that we can only be perfect as He is perfect if we do good to those who wish to harm us? Is this not asking too much of us?
Jesus' words of loving everyone definitely go far beyond our human abilities. We often fail, and sometimes we fail miserably, without any pretense of doing the right or the good thing to people with whom we are at odds. But still, the Bible says that we were made in the image of God. We were made to love ALL PEOPLE as God loves all people. Why don't we? Sin, division, came into the world when Adam and Eve decided to go their own way and eat of the Tree of Knowledge. This act deeply marred our understanding of infinite, true love: God's love. We became self-oriented, willing to oppose others to get our way. Without a doubt, we are not lovers or servants to all. When God came to Cain and asked, “Where is your brother Abel?” Cain responded somewhat sarcastically, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9) The answers is "Yes, you are your brothers keeper." You are to love him as you love yourself. You are to elevate him in your eyes, even to the point of being a servant to him. But sin had entered the world. No longer would brotherly love exist unreservedly and in abundance. Rather, the self-seeking, self-aggrandizing spirit became predominant in the world, between people, between communities, between nations. The product of our self-interested decisions tends not to lead to love, cooperation, healing, or peace; but instead to divisions and worse: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. (Galatians 5:19-21) We do reap what we sow. The love God designed us to possess should be the inexorable result of being human. God made us to be inescapably as He is, the lover of all He made. When we do not love what He created, we cannot love him. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. (1 John 4:20) God is love; we were made in his image; we were made to express love. This is the essence of being God-like or children of God. Outside of Christ, we cannot love as God loves, but in Christ, we are brought back to God's love, back to the heart of God, with the inclination to love everyone as God loves them.
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him. (1 John 2:9-11) Because of sin, a shadow fell over humankind. We have trouble seeing the true likeness of God. We have a notion that God is good and that He can be trusted, but we do not fully believe we can be as He is, for we see the realities of the world with its problems and downfalls. How can we love when people hurt us and attempt to devour us? How can we love in such a world as this where we have to look out for ourselves? But God has given the world the essence of his love, Jesus Christ. We know Christ loves the world because He gave himself for it. We know as Christians we also should love the world as He did. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John 4:10-11) When we have trouble loving or doing good to those who hate us, we must place our reliance on Jesus' love for the world. He alone is perfect in everything. We must be faithful to his calling. With all our strength, we must try to be as He is: full of love for the world. IN CHRIST, we are no longer under the shadow of sin, for He is light. We live in the LIGHT and walk in the light. Therefore dear friends, in every way attempt to express his love to all people. Give a glass of water to the thirsty, a handout to those in need, deference to those who need respect. Treat people exactly as you want to be treated. But most of all, when you fail, hide in Christ, and ask him to teach you how to love as He loves for we WERE MADE IN HIS IMAGE. Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7-8) If you have been weary, find strength in the Lord. Walk in his love and share that love as you do good to all people.
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