Sin has corrupted our entire world. Think about it. Every good thing that people develop to make our society fair and just for all people is soon corrupted by sinful people creating ways to evade the intended purpose of a law or of a program. Sometimes we call these points of evasion, ‘loopholes.’ We find ways to circumvent the intended purpose. Or, if someone has an idea about changing a law or program for which we have a vested interested we respond with vengeance and anger. As you read these words you are probably thinking about the politicians and lobbyist in Washington. We could use them for an example, but that is like shooting fish in a barrel.
However, Matthew is writing to the church not to city hall. In this portion of the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew is remembering Jesus followed His Beatitudes with these six examples of practical ethical issues. In each example Jesus is saying, “Here is what the law says, now I am going to the very heart of the law to show how children of God can live out its deepest meaning.’
Jesus’ teaching is about the different kind of righteousness we learned about yesterday. As I live in a way that expresses the merciful, forgiving, reconciling will of God I am fulfilling the deepest intent of God’s law. How is this possible? You would have to be perfect to live this way. Exactly.
But, remember God’s definition of perfect is different than ours. God’s perfection is not getting a grade of A+ on every test. God’s perfection is the wholeness that comes with new life in Christ. To live with Godly perfection is to respond to other people – even those I think of as my enemies – with the compassion and desire for good that expresses the way God has responded to me, and, the way God responds to the whole world. Godly perfection is seeing other people the same way God sees me, and them.
What does today’s reading reveal to you about God?
What does it reveal to you about yourself?
Think about what God wants you to do or remember about this passage.
Does God want you to change anything in your life?
No comments:
Post a Comment