love who?!

Matthew 5

43 "You have heard the law that says,

'Love your neighbor' and hate your enemy.

44 But I say,

love your enemies!

Pray for those who persecute you!

45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.

For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good,

and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.

46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that?

Even corrupt tax collectors do that much.

47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else?

Even pagans do that.

48 But you are to be perfect,

even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

What would our world,

our nation,

our state,

the town we live in,

& our relationships with family & friends...

what would they all look like if we simply would be & do what Jesus says we should be & do in these 5 verses?

This was an mandate that was completely off the charts back then.

You always sought at least equal punishment for anyone who did something against you.

But what did Jesus mandate?

That we love the very people who are the ugliest toward us.

Love them.

Not just kinda sorta like them, a little bit.

Jesus says love them.

And pray for them.

Back then, it was a completely, radically different thought process.

It still is, today.

What would life be like if we simply did that – love our enemies & pray for them.