Our love must be stronger than our violence

Sometimes part of me just does not like what He says.

For example, Jesus said this:

You have heard that it was said, “Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.”

But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

— Matthew 5:38-42

As we read together this morning’s paper, the challenge of Jesus’ words appears. Aggression is to be met with charity, and whenever followers of Christ encounter it, we should be prepared to walk twice as far as asked.

Perhaps you are feeling the same way about Jesus’ words? At first glance they are easy not to like.

At moments like this it is good to take a deep breath, pray and take a second look at the scripture. What if we asked, “What would today’s paper look like if it were printed in heaven?” We, I think, would see stories of love and peace. We would see harmony, charity and compassion.

If we then took our thoughts a step farther and asked, “What actions can I take today to make this world more heavenlike?” It is then we see the wisdom of Jesus’ words. Jesus is not so much giving us instructions to “take the high road” as he is giving us instructions on how to take the heaven road, and Matthew 5:38-42 is the only way to get there.

Jeremy Courtney is one of my favorite people. He is the founder of a movement called Preemptive Love Coalition. He lives in Iraq, and his organization has made heart surgeries for kids, microbusinesses, schools, clean water and much more happen in Iraq. Whenever hell on earth breaks out — be it Mosul or anywhere else — Preemptive Love Coalition is there.

Jeremy’s basic message is one that we have to wage peace and love anyway. While ISIS currently is on the run, we have to worry about what is the next group that is on the horizon. At some point as Christians, our love must be stronger than our violence, and we will have to stop relying on war to defeat hate. Love is simply that powerful. Being a church in the city, one of the truths of First Methodist is that we never know who is going to walk

through the door. While that is true of every church, it is especially true of the urban church. I tell people First Methodist literally is Noah’s ark. We have two, at least, of just about every kind of person God made.

One Sunday morning, a mom walked in a couple of hours before worship started. She walked in right when I was by the door, and she asked me, “Is there anyone here who can help me?”

As she told me her story there were a couple of things she said that I could have taken issue with. There was a decision or two that maybe was not the best, but her family experienced an act of violence during the night that brought them to our church asking “Is there anyone who can help me?”

All of us are asking that question. All of us, in some way, and at times like this we have to decide how are we going to respond. Are we going to respond in judgment? Are we going to respond with apathy? Are we going to meet her with hostility and think that people with problems get what they deserve?

In the moment where we are faced with a decision on how to treat another, a whole host of options are open to us. The question becomes not “what is a way — but what is THE way?”

So I got her a cup of coffee and introduced her to some people. From there a few other conversations happened, and by the Lord’s good guidance a little hope began to appear. It has been a few weeks now, but the other day she said, “I believe again. Hope is now back in my life through the church.”

What did we do? We loved on her.

Love is not easy. It will ask of us more than we are ready to give. It will require we walk further than we are ready to go. Sometimes love requires us to take a punch.

Love is not an easy way but it is the only way, and the truth is that if heaven is to have any kind of chance upon the earth, the words of Jesus are the ones that we must follow.