Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus closes Matthew 5 with perhaps His most radical command yet: “Love your enemies.” Not just tolerate them. Not just avoid them. Love them. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you.

Why? Because that’s what our Father does. The sun rises on the righteous and the unrighteous. The rain falls on both the good and the evil. God’s love is not limited to those who deserve it — and neither should ours be.

The truth is, anyone can love people who love them back. Even the most corrupt person knows how to be kind when kindness is returned. But kingdom love is different. Kingdom love presses past our comfort zones, reaches over our grudges, and reflects the heart of God to a broken world.

Jesus calls us to be “perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” That word doesn’t mean flawless — it means complete, mature, whole. To grow into the fullness of God’s love, even when it costs us.

So here’s the challenge:

    •    Who in your life have you decided is “outside” your circle of love?

    •    Who do you need to pray for today, even if your heart resists?

    •    How can you show the undeserved love of Christ in a way that makes the world stop and take notice?

Friends, this isn’t easy. But this is the way of Jesus. He loved us when we were His enemies. He died for us while we were still sinners. And now He calls us to walk in His footsteps.

Let’s be people who love like the Father loves. Not with half-hearted, easy love, but with a love so complete and perfect that it points straight back to Him.