thoughts on the reading

“You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt 5:38-42)

This passage is, for me, probably one of the richest fields to work for spiritual fruit and I could spend a month of Sundays pulling out different lessons and instruction.  For today, permit me to pull a few common threads I see and weave a bit for ya.

The first thread which we see a lot in Christ's teaching is the blissful and utter simplicity of it.  No gazillion rules to remember, flowcharts or graphs to reference or iPhone app to consult.  It's dead simple.  Love everyone, both the 'good' and the 'bad'.

The second and contrasting thread is that simple isn't easy.  That's what the image is on about.  Hoeing is one of the simpler things to do, but it's hard work.  So is loving people, understanding them and being good towards those who aren't good to you.

The third and interwoven thread is that constancy and consistency are vital.  Hoeing the fields is of value only when you keep after it. God isn't perfect only on Sundays at church, but at all times, everywhere.  If we are to be as God, then we should reflect that constancy in our lives.  It's real simple....just not real easy.