Love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the grateful and the wicked. Be merciful just as your Father is merciful. 

 

Luke 6:35

 

Jesus offers a challenging message. He tells us to love our enemies and do good to them. He tells us to give money away and expect nothing back. Jesus doesn’t tell us to do these things without a reward or personal benefit or to be altruistic. He promises a reward. When we love our enemies and give freely, we are becoming more like our heavenly Father who loves both the grateful and the ungrateful. 

 

Over and over again Jesus challenges us, but he always points to the rewards and the benefits of his teachings. Jesus tells us that it is worth it to put his words and instructions into practice. 

 

Tell Jesus today that you trust him. Thank him that all his teachings are for your personal benefit. Pray for the grace to trust when his teachings don’t seem to make sense.