Luke 6:37-38 - Bitter or Better

We can’t always prevent what happens to us in life, but we can determine and choose how we respond to it. Our response will determine if we will become bitter, or if we will become better.

Our natural response to people and how they treat us, is to treat them the way they treated us. If they hurt us, we want to hurt them. If they are critical of us, we want to be critical of them. If they reject or ignore us, we want to do the same to them. If they hit us, we want to hit them. We want to make them feel the same way they made us feel! We want to get even. We want revenge.

Now, imagine Jesus is given this message during a time when dictators and tyrants were ruling the world without any restrains put on them. Remember when Jesus was born, Herod the Great was the ruler over Palestine. Simply because he felt threatened by the birth of Jesus, that the wise men called a king, he slaughtered and killed all the boys that lived in Bethlehem about the age Jesus would have been. It was a very mean, vindictive, evil, and wicked world that was very difficult to live in!

Now Jesus shows up preaching a message that tells these poor depressed and hurting people to love their enemies and do good to them. Jesus has proclaimed Himself to be the Promised Messiah. The oppressed Jewish people were expecting Him to deal harshly with their enemies but here in this first recorded message He is teaching just the opposite. This had to somewhat shock them.

I also need to remind us that before Jesus began this message the multitudes had come to hear Him from all over Palestine. He first took the time to show them His love and compassion by healing all who were sick from diseases and tormented by unclean spirits (vv. 17-19). People really don’t care what we say until we first show them that we really care about them. I am sure as Jesus began this message the people were listening very carefully!

In verses 20-26, Jesus deals with our attitude toward circumstances and teaches us that we should respond to whatever circumstances that we encounter with faith in God’s love for us and His sovereignty over them and our lives. Then in verses 27-38 Jesus addresses our attitude toward people, especially those that hurt and offend us and cause us great pain both emotionally and physically. Jesus teaches us to love them.

Jesus teaches that our response should be totally different than the sinners in the world around us. I love how Jesus teaches this. If we only love those who love us, give to those who give to us, do good to those who do good to us, He basically says, “Big deal, even sinners can do that”.  And remember that your Father in heaven is merciful, kind, and good to you when don’t deserve it. The only way we can respond this way is by remembering that we are citizens of heaven, and we are only strangers in this world passing through. (Philippians 3:20-21; Romans 8:18).

In verse 37-38, notice Jesus gives two negative responses we should have: “Judge not; Condemn not”. And then gives us two positive ones: “Forgive; Give”. Jesus is not saying that we shouldn’t be discerning. We are actually given the “Spirit of discernment” to determine if people are truthful or liars. If they are good or they are evil. I like what Osward Chambers said, “God doesn’t give us the spirit of discernment to criticize, but to intercede”!  To pray for them. I often wonder how many people prayed for Saul when he was persecuting the early believers in the church. God answers their prayers, and he becomes Paul and changes the world for Christ!

Jesus teaches us to forgive those who offend and hurt us! We don’t seek revenge or try to get even. And when we like Joseph, who in Genesis forgave his brothers, we know that the evil that was intended to hurt us, God had a purpose in it for good! (Genesis 50:15-21).

We can become bitter if we hold our grudges