Recently, I started using the Accordance software on my iPad during worship. If you’re unfamiliar with the Bible program, check out one of my husband’s podcasts on the topic. One of the things I love the most about using Accordance during worship is that I can use it as my Bible to look up scriptures, but I can also tap on the words to see what they mean in the Greek or Hebrew, and to see other verses that use the same word. This past Sunday evening, when reading through Matthew 5, I came across a very familiar verse, but the Greek words made it seem a little different to me, and I thought I would share that with you today.

First, let’s examine the familiar text and its context:

 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?” Matthew 5:43-47

How many times have you heard these verses? 5, 10, 100? Probably closer to the latter if I’m guessing. Not only have we heard these verses, but we’ve also done our best to apply them to our lives. Love our enemies, that’s what being a Christian is all about.

Zoom in with me to verse 47, where Jesus says, “And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?” I have read this verse so many times, but often overlook it in the grand scheme of things, and yet it is within this verse that a powerful sentiment is brought out. Without getting too technical, the word there that asks what more do you do means excessive, to the fullest, or my favorite–extraordinary. So really, what Jesus is asking here is, “If you only salute/pay attention to/embrace those who love you and treat you well, what makes that extraordinary?” The answer is an obvious nothing.

So what does make us extraordinary? How can we be extraordinary Christians? How can treat people in an extraordinary way? The answer is found in verse 44: “But I say to you, love your enemies”.

What does loving our enemies look like? In the present day, it means not hoping the Boston bomber “enjoys hell”, but instead praying that he will repent and beg forgiveness and put on Christ. It means not slandering those who use you and hurt you and talk bad about you, even though it’s so easy to do so. It means not ignoring those who can’t do anything for you, but embracing those who don’t seem like they have much to offer. It means not treating criminals or anyone else like they’re dirt, but showing them Jesus through your words, actions, and attitude. It means praying, excessively, for those individuals, not posting vague statuses abou them on Facebook.

Where would the church be if the Ananias had hated his enemies? If he had harbored such resentment and anger towards the persecutor of persecutors, Saul of Tarsus? Perhaps Saul would have never been truly converted. Perhaps he would have been burnt out on doing the Lord’s work because the people were so mean. May Christians never, ever treat anyone in any other way than loving them. No, love doesn’t mean tolerating and accepting sin, but it also doesn’t mean prejudging someone who is in sin to “know” they’ll never be a Christian. Loving our enemies means greeting, embracing, and treating with the utmost respect those who have not yet known the saving power of Jesus Christ. Loving our enemies means praying fervently for those who claim to be Christians who are acting in the most unChristlike of ways. Loving our enemies means associating with the meek and humble, not befriending those whom we think can help us in one way or another.

Today, and everyday, let us strive to be extraordinary. We can do that by loving our enemies.