Today's Daily Lesson comes from Matthew chapter 5 verses 43 through 48:
43 ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
If you live in the same town long enough you're bound to make a few enemies along the way. They could be on the school board, or at your former place of employment, or on the other kid's soccer sideline, or even at church. That's just a part of life.
But what do you do when you seem them in the grocery store or at somebody's funeral? Do you pretend you don't see them? Do you glance the other way? Do you pretend like you just received a call on your cell phone?
It may be the toughest thing we do week in and week out, but Jesus says we're supposed to greet them. Now that doesn't mean reach out and shake their hand or ask how they are doing. Those may be too much for them. But we are supposed to say, "Hello," and "Good morning." It may be small; but it's tough to do. And it's how Christians are supposed to act, because the world is already full of enough people who won't even speak to one another.
G.K. Chesterton said, "The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because generally they are the same person."
And we can't love our enemies without at least being willing to say hello to them.
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