Bar Clearing

Jesus said to his disciples: “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 and sisters only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48)

Matthew quotes Jesus having set a very high bar for us.  We are to be perfect, just as our heavenly Father is perfect.  That is a bar very few of us can jump.  Perfection is a fine goal, but it is not achievable.  Loving enemies and praying for those who persecute us is a seeming cure for what ails us, and even our nation, but showing weakness to our enemies, while converting a few of them, likely would embolden most of them.  

Jesus was smart to set high-bar behavior for us to copy.  We have to get along with those who differ from us whether by race, philosophy, religion, or politics.  The sun rises and sets on all of us.  The rain falls on them and us.  We are all susceptible to the same temptations and fears.  We all share planet Earth.

Perhaps “perfection” is simply agreeing to disagree and being respectful of the others’ beliefs and perspectives – showing at least a little love perhaps better defined as compassion.  We need not clear Jesus’ high bar, but at least we should try knowing we might clear a few lower ones.

Deacon David Pierce