Remember that net?

 Matthew has the "Sermon on the Mount." Luke has the "Sermon on the Plain." In each we have Jesus teaching the disciples what it means to be a follower of The Way. There are blessings and woes. There are admonishments and encouragements. As I was reading Luke chapter 6 in preparation for preaching I was stood up by the words of Jesus. 

Palestine had corrupt government, has a foreign government oppressing the people, even their faith leaders were in on the graft. The rich were getting richer and the poor were getting poorer. The people were getting fed up. Around them were insurrectionists and counter movements trying to push back against the wrong around them. There was a lot to hate in their world. Then this Jesus, who was healing the sick, preaching good news to the poor, has the gall to say this:

"But I say to you that listen, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you." (Luke 6:27-28)

Man, I don't want to. Do you see my enemies? They are hateful and spiteful. They are cruel and have no empathy. They despise the poor and are irritated by the sick. They only worry about their bottom line and look at the rest of us as just objects for the growing of their wealth. I hate them. Then Jesus says:

"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again." (Luke 6:32-34)

Seriously? Lord, I am not sure that I am up for what you are laying down. For my enemies would see

my actions not as love but as obedience to their power. For my enemies would take my empathy as a sign of weakness and double down on their cruelty. No, I hate them. Then Jesus says:

Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? (Luke 6:41)

Well, I'll be damned.

I am caught. That net that was thrown out to gather the people unto the Lord, has now caught me. No matter how we play the game of look at how bad "they" are, we better be able to see how bad "we" are. 

In our own time (of corrupt government, foreign influence, faith leaders preaching a gospel of hate and cruelty, and those who we once looked up to seeming to be OK with what is going on around us) we are called to love our enemies.

It is hard to read this passage of Luke, but when I look at it closer, I can see that what Jesus is laying down is a subversive, non-violent way of protest. When those who intend cruelty, we show mercy. When those who intend to make the poor even poorer, we lift them up.

When the corrupt steal our clothes, we should give it all to them. Then when we stand naked before them, what more can they take from us? Their shame will be before them when their is no more to take. Their hunger for more can no longer be slaked with the pain of others when there is no more pain to extract.

Jesus says:  "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I tell you? I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, immediately it fell, and great was the ruin of that house." (Luke 6:46-49)