"Peace on Earth," part four

I’ve totally bought into this idea of speaking up and telling people when they’ve hurt me, and doing it in a loving and constructive way. It makes sense, not holding grudges and not letting things build up inside of me … you know, the pus of bitterness that can infect your wounds.

But what Jesus said in Matthew 5 is so much harder. Notice his wording (it works in any translation): if someone has something against you. In Matthew 18, it’s if I have a problem with someone else, go and tell them, confess it, if you will. But in Matthew 5, it’s if they have something against me. Yikes. That’s hard to admit, and even harder to confront!

But even that’s cake compared to what he says next.

In Psalms, David says, “I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to his people.” I’ve written about this before – God speaks peace to us – God wants to be at peace with us. That’s why people brought their sacrifices to the temple … it was their assurance that God had forgiven them, wiped the slate clean. It was a physical embodiment of their forgiveness … it was tactile, it was serious, it was real. It gave them confidence that they were at peace with God.

So here’s what Jesus says next: if you’re not willing to be reconciled to each other, don’t bother trying to be reconciled to me.

Stop it, he says, just stop it. Anyone who says they love me, and does not love others, especially the least among them, does not love me at all, Jesus says. Don’t fool yourselves. You’ve heard that you should love your families and friends. But I say, love your enemies. “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. If you only love those who love you, what’s special about that? Even corrupt people do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different? Everyone does that.” (Matthew 5)

I know, it’s a tall order. Especially when the whole sneaky payback thing is so easy. Even if you just keep it inside, the resentment and bitterness, Jesus says it’s the same as if you lashed out, because what is in your heart is what’s true about you. If you harbor anger in your heart, it’s as if you stabbed them with a knife, Jesus says (also Matthew 5). It matters. What you say to each other matters. How you treat each other matters. What you think in your heart about each other matters.

…to be continued further.