The Reward // Luke 6:28

Today’s verse became real to me when watching Mel Gibson’s film, “The Passion of the Christ.” The scene in particular occurred as a flashback during Jesus’ torture when He taught about not just loving those who love you, but loving the unlovable, too. He followed up the teaching we see in today’s verse with the rhetorical question, “Where is the reward in that?”, meaning that even bad people can love the lovable. The etymology for word reward, means to return or service for payment or hardship. All of a sudden that takes on a whole new meaning, doesn’t it? It’s easy to think that a reward is a good return for a good job, deed, action, etc. But what if we are to also realize that it’s the good return for something challenging? That takes on a whole new meaning, doesn’t it? It’s precisely how God wants us to view the idea of a reward: the benefits for doing the hard thing, even loving those who are unlovable. Jesus gave us the ultimate example for this, even praying for those who nailed Him to the cross and mocked Him while He hanged there for their salvation. May we all take the rewarding posture and prayerfully lift up those who know not what they do. Dear Lord, help us make this so. In Jesus’ name, amen.