Loving Those Different

43“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighborⁱ and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? (Matthew 5:43-47)

Thoughts: Jesus goes beyond the idea of loving your neighbor.  Basically his reasoning is God loves all people- He makes His sun to shine and His rain to fall on everyone.  We should do our best to love all- even if they do not love us back- and even if they actively hate us.  Jesus was preparing His disciples to take the hope of God beyond the borders of Israel.  God is not just for the Jews and not just for their friends.  God is for all and we should show care for all people.
       Jesus did not put the qualifications out there.  I have heard lots of scholars speak of what Jesus did not really mean here.  For example, some say, Jesus was not talking about one nation against another.  They would say we should not universalize this for political purposes. There certainly are other passages that help us interpret this.  But nonetheless, this is not qualified here and we must wrestle with what the text says and what it does not say.
      Practically speaking- today- go out of your way to greet a stranger.  Greet a stranger especially who may look differently from you.  Today Christians are not just cynical about things, they do not go into the darkness to bring light.  We let the people in darkness stay in darkness while we hang out with the people who think like us.  Love crosses barriers.  Love goes into enemy territory to win some enemies to Christ.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to love my neighbor.  But also help me to love those different from me.  Help me to love those who may despise me because I love you.  Use me to make a difference in their lives.