Selflessness

Lk. 6:36-37

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

 

What is selflessness? Why does God want me to be selfless? To begin with God desires that I do good to those who hate me, bless those who curse me, and pray for those who abuse me. How counter to my nature is that! Normally, I would completely avoid those who hate, curse, and abuse me, and if I didn't return their hatred, cursing, and abusing, I would think I was doing good. But apparently those actions would still be the actions of many sinners. What God desires of me is an opposing action. In the place of hatred, I do good. In the place of cursing, I bless, and in the place of abuse, I pray. Actions such as these are completely selfless and can only be accomplished through the grace and strength that God supplies.

 

The text then mentions lending. I know that I am careful about my possessions and only lend them to people who have the same attitude toward their possessions. However, that is not what this passage is teaching. I must lend expecting nothing in return because even sinners lend expecting to get the same amount. How selfless is that! If I love my enemies, and do good, expecting nothing in return...But how do I get rid of these expectations? Even within my marriage, expectations are a huge source of conflict. Perhaps hanging on to expectations is not really acknowledging God's sovereign power. It is not living like He is in control of every detail of my life. Am I still clinging to my flesh and its demands?  Living like this passage teaches would be living completely for God. It would be abdicating all claim to this life, but if I am obedient and live like this,  then my reward will be great.

 

I must align myself with my new family ties. I am now a son of the Most High. Since He is kind to the ungrateful and merciful to the evil, so must I be. How can I treat others in a way counter to the way He has treated me? He is my Father who saved me when I was evil and ungrateful. He reached out His love to me and brought me into His family. How wonderful! I honor Him when I show to others what He has shown to me.

 

Father,

Teach me more about Your sovereign power in my life. Help me to love even in the face of hurt and abuse.Help me to let go of this world and hang on only to Your world.

In Jesus name,

Amen