Forgive n Love...

The good Lord was clear in charging us with His teachings when He said:

> Love those who hate you (Mt 5:44)
> Bless those who harm you (Mt 5:44)
> If somebody strikes you on one cheek, show him the other (Mt 5: 39, 40)
> If you have something against a brother, leave your gift at the altar; set things right with him and then come back to pray (Mt 5: 23, 24)

Lovely preachy material... But the real test is in applying these teachings to our lives when we are surrounded by misunderstanding, people who are waiting to find fault with us and bring us down and better still, when we are hurting due to all this.

As i was thinking and even struggling with the same today, i realised that these words of the good Lord are not giving us much of a choice; as much as they are in the imperative tense. Each one of those statements contains in them the verb 'do' in an imperative usage (in the greek):

> afes             ekei        to     dwron         sou (5: 24)
  leave you!     there     the     present     of you(rs)

> streyon     autw       thn     allhn (5: 39)
  turn you!     to him    the     other (cheek)

> agapate         tous     ecqrous       umwn (5: 44)
  be ye loving!    the     enemies        of you(rs)

These are not one of those good to do (like good to know) statements of our Lord. Infact, He never did give us a choice in these particular directives. These statements were authoritative commands from the master the universe to His creation. What then shall be your and my response to the same? We might say i forgive... but are we able to look the same people in the eye and wish them all good things and bless them Jesus name???

May God bless us and grant us His grace to forgive (over and over again) and  to deal with our enemies and those who want to see us down; to exemplify Him even through our response to people and situations, despite our hurt.