Praying for others
Daily Scripture
Luke 6:12-38
During Lent, we are using short videos to share a daily idea (linked to the gospel of Luke) on how to grow spiritually. Watch today’s video. Click here or on the image below:
Note: We are reading the entire gospel of Luke in the GPS. Some day’s readings are longer than usual. We hope you’ll have an extra cup of coffee, or use your lunch break, and read Luke’s entire story of Jesus.
12 During that time, Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night long. 13 At daybreak, he called together his disciples. He chose twelve of them whom he called apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter; his brother Andrew; James; John; Philip; Bartholomew; 15 Matthew; Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus; Simon, who was called a zealot; 16 Judas the son of James; and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
17 Jesus came down from the mountain with them and stood on a large area of level ground. A great company of his disciples and a huge crowd of people from all around Judea and Jerusalem and the area around Tyre and Sidon joined him there. 18 They came to hear him and to be healed from their diseases, and those bothered by unclean spirits were healed. 19 The whole crowd wanted to touch him, because power was going out from him and he was healing everyone.
20 Jesus raised his eyes to his disciples and said:
“Happy are you who are poor,
because God’s kingdom is yours.
21 Happy are you who hunger now,
because you will be satisfied.
Happy are you who weep now,
because you will laugh.
22 Happy are you when people hate you, reject you, insult you, and condemn your name as evil because of the Human One [or Son of Man]. 23 Rejoice when that happens! Leap for joy because you have a great reward in heaven. Their ancestors did the same things to the prophets.
24 But how terrible for you who are rich,
because you have already received your comfort.
25 How terrible for you who have plenty now,
because you will be hungry.
How terrible for you who laugh now,
because you will mourn and weep.
26 How terrible for you when all speak well of you.
Their ancestors did the same things to the false prophets.
27 “But I say to you who are willing to hear: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on the cheek, offer the other one as well. If someone takes your coat, don’t withhold your shirt either. 30 Give to everyone who asks and don’t demand your things back from those who take them. 31 Treat people in the same way that you want them to treat you.
32 “If you love those who love you, why should you be commended? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, why should you be commended? Even sinners do that. 34 If you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, why should you be commended? Even sinners lend to sinners expecting to be paid back in full. 35 Instead, love your enemies, do good, and lend expecting nothing in return. If you do, you will have a great reward. You will be acting the way children of the Most High act, for he is kind to ungrateful and wicked people. 36 Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate.
37 “Don’t judge, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good portion—packed down, firmly shaken, and overflowing—will fall into your lap. The portion you give will determine the portion you receive in return.”
Daily Reflection & Prayer
Jesus chose the Twelve, then laid out his kingdom’s principles. This passage in Luke is similar (but not identical) to “The Sermon on the Mount” (cf. Matthew 5-7). This was likely a different “version.” Scholar William Barclay said the verb “taught” in Matthew 5:2 meant “repeated, habitual action….the Sermon on the Mount is…the essence of all that Jesus continuously…taught his disciples.” *
- Like Mary’s song in Luke 1:46-55, this sermon offered God’s favor and comfort to people we see as unfortunate, and warned those we see as particularly favored. Which parts of his sermon most challenge our culture’s wisdom on how to “succeed”? Which of Jesus’ promises in this sermon mean the most to you?
- The Scriptures at times reflected our natural human response to people who hurt us (e.g. Psalm 139:21). Jesus taught, very clearly (if uncomfortably), “Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you” (Luke 6:27). How can you recognize and deal with hurt and anger in ways that allow you to pray for, and seek the good of, people who offend or hurt you?
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Prayer
King Jesus, rule over my life. Imprint the great principles of your kingdom deeply on my mind and heart and shape me into the person you want me to be. Amen.
GPS Insights
Mindy LaHood
I like The Message translation of Luke 6:35-36–“’I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You’ll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we’re at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind.’”
Kindness. I try to be kind to everyone…I want to be kind towards all, but if I’m being honest, there are many times where I fall short on the kindness scale. Usually, my unkindness rears its ugly head when I’m tired physically, emotionally, and spiritually or when I get frustrated, and I can’t quite seem to find the solution or resolution I desire. It can show itself when others have treated me poorly or I witness others being treated poorly. Kindness sounds like such an easy concept in theory, and sometimes it is…other times, it is a definite choice. Most of the time when God is trying to teach me a lesson about loving my enemies or being kind, he shows me through the examples of others.
I recently had a friend tell me this story…It was late at night after work, and he stopped at Waffle House for dinner. He was tired and hungry, and as a result, he was a little short with the waitress. He’d ordered an iced tea, didn’t like the way it tasted, so he ordered a soft drink instead. When it came time to pay, the waitress had charged him for two drinks instead of one. He felt that was unfair. He was not kind to her in how he handled the situation–he made his frustrations known. But, as he drove home, God began to speak to his heart about that interaction. The next day, he went back to Waffle House, found the waitress, and apologized for his behavior. The waitress was in shock that he took the time to come back and find her just to say he was sorry. No matter what had happened the prior evening, the fact that he went back to apologize and show kindness likely meant more to her than anything else that happened that day, maybe even that week.
As I listened to his story, I thought about the times when God has spoken to my heart about my poor behavior, the ways that I didn’t show kindness, love, or grace. I’d like to say I listened to every nudge of the Holy Spirit to go back and apologize, but the truth is I haven’t. It’s hard to be humble, swallow your pride and admit that you have fallen short of your identity in Christ. But, even at my worst as a work in progress, God never stops investing in me and providing opportunities for me to show love towards my enemies, help and give without expecting anything in return, and offer kindness. I’m grateful that God graciously walks me through lessons on kindness and loving my enemies. Through each opportunity to show kindness and love, God is transforming my heart, transforming me to become more like Christ.
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Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
References
* William Barclay, Daily Study Bible Series: The Gospel of Matthew—Volume 1 Chapters 1–10 (Revised Edition). Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1976, p. 87.
