Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.
Family can be difficult. Marriage can be difficult. Parenting can be difficult. Friendship can be difficult. Why? Because we live in a world that is broken and tainted by sin. Are relationships rewarding? You bet! We were created for relationships, but healthy relationships require work! In our reading today, that is exactly what Jesus is talking about. This passage is known as the “Sermon on the Mount.” It was Jesus’ first major teaching moment, and our reading picks up fairly early in it.
As I read the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), I always like to put myself in the time and place they occurred. I like to imagine how I would have responded when I first heard Jesus’ teachings. This passage is perfect for that! At this point in His sermon, He has spoken about what it means to be blessed, to be salt and light, and even His purpose in coming to earth. Jesus has already said some head-turning things, like “blessed are those who mourn,” but nothing compares to the statement He begins with: “You have heard it said...'You shall not murder.’” I imagine the crowd nodding their heads in agreement, maybe giving an “Amen” or a “Preach it!” Maybe they are murmuring something like, “Okay, okay, I like this guy.” But in what will become a norm for Jesus, He flips the script quickly on His listeners when He equates murder with being angry with someone (Matthew 5:21-22). I imagine a record-scratch-type moment. You know, when the music suddenly stops at a party. I imagine the nodding stopped and the “Amens” got quiet, and the crowd thought, “This is a joke, right?!” or “He’s not serious, is he?”
Jesus was making a point! Relationships are important! Not only that, but they also impact our relationship with our heavenly Father. In verses 23-24, Jesus commands us to make things right, to “go and be reconciled” before we try to worship God. Romans 12:18 says, “As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” That is exactly what Jesus is getting at! As Christ-followers, we are to do our part to make sure our relationships point people to Christ. When we do that, we not only honor God, but we also set our relationships up for success. What if the person doesn’t want to be “reconciled” to you? Well, we can never guarantee the outcome, but that is out of our control. Again, “as far as it depends on you.”
Healthy, God-honoring relationships require work and can be difficult, but if we applied this passage and took the lead on making relationships right, it would change our marriages, our families, our friendships, and ultimately our lives. If we applied this passage, not only would our relationships be better, but it would also make a world that is skeptical of Christianity lean in and become curious. We begin to show them a better way, the Jesus way.
Take two minutes to reflect in silence.
Reflection:
- Often, we read passages on forgiveness through the lens of what has been done to us. Who do we need to forgive? In today's reading, Jesus says that we need to be mindful of those who we might have wronged and seek peace with them. Spend some time taking inventory of your relationships. Ask God to reveal any relationship in your life that needs reconciliation.
- If God shows you a relationship that needs to be reconciled, don't let this moment pass until you have written down your next step to make it right. Remember it doesn’t matter how they respond. You are only responsible for your side of the relationship.