A level playing field (Lk. 6:27–38)

Kids’ sport tends to have special rules to allow everyone to have a fair go and provide a level playing field. When I was at that point in my junior cricket, I couldn’t wait to get into under 12’s, where they used a hard two-piece ball, you were out when you got out, and I was allowed to bowl more than a mere two overs in a game.

Those that had a bit of talent thrived and usually went on to play in the seniors. Those that weren’t so naturally gifted enjoyed it while it lasted. Or at least we hope they did... I wasn’t too bad a cricketer myself, but I quit while I was ahead. My legacy is that I captained my side to a premiership...in under 12’s.

I understand the point of having these special rules – to encourage kids to have a go at things and level the playing field – but I’ve always been a little bit more competitive than that.

Cricket aside: today, Jesus is levelling the playing field. That can be very good news or very bad news, depending on where you see yourself sitting. To help us figure out what Jesus is telling us today, we’ll be tackling three things: who my enemy is, how Jesus’ acts, and what our call is. My enemy; Jesus’ action; our call.

My enemy

“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” (Luke 6:27)

Who is my enemy? Do I have one? Do I have a long list of them? It’s not a word we use much – we tend to reserve it for when we’re talking about “the old enemy” in Ashes cricket or all-out war between nations. Russia seems to be everyone’s enemy at the moment...

The word really means ‘to be hostile or hated.’ If someone angers me, offends me, shows disrespect towards me, speaks badly of me...I have an enemy.

If I anger someone else, offend someone else, show disrespect towards someone else, speak badly of someone else, I’ve made an enemy.

We make enemies of people, and they make enemies of us. Sometimes we mean to, sometimes we can’t help it, sometimes it happens to us.

Of course, it would be better if we didn’t make enemies out of each other in the first place. If only us humans were capable of coming together in peace and harmony all of the time... But we’re not, are we?

Even the best of friends or the closest of family can turn against each other. Even the church, the very people of God make enemies of each other. We of all people should be the ones to keep it together, shouldn’t we?

The church of God isn’t made up of angels (or at least, not entirely) – it’s made up of human beings who fall short of the glory of God on a regular basis.

And then there’s the fact that our faith in God causes people to make enemies of us. Just because I’m Christian, it means that I endorse the extreme views that we hear about in the media.

This is when we realise that the playing field is, in fact, level. We’re all as corrupt and self-centred as each other, myself included. There is no special treatment for us who belong to Christ. We’re sinners just like everyone else, and we cop criticism and abuse like no one else at times.

Jesus’ action

“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.” (Luke 6:27)

Doesn’t Jesus know what we’re facing? Doesn’t he understand how much pain we can sometimes feel? Doesn’t he get that sometimes, it’s just too hard to be the bigger person? Doesn’t he realise that we have a limit?

Yes. Yes, he does. He knows exactly what we face. He understands completely the kind of pain we feel. He absolutely gets that it all gets too much at times. He knows exactly what our limit is. Why? Because he went through it all himself.

By becoming a human being, Jesus experienced firsthand the pain and the suffering involved in being one of us. Most of all, he experienced the full weight of the law as a completely innocent man.

He knows what it’s like to be wrongly accused, to be literally slapped in the face, to be betrayed by a close friend, to be cursed by people he loves, and to be rejected by the very people that thought they were the closest to God out of everyone.

Through becoming a human being, he came right down to our level. We couldn’t reach up to him, so he came down to us. The only way that he could completely erase our debt of sin was to die on that cross for all of it and then rise again from the grave. Only then could we be truly free. Only then could we be fully forgiven. Only then could we be empowered to love as he loves and serve as he serves.

Our call

“If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.” (Luke 6:32–35)

We live on a level playing field – both in terms of our sin and in terms of our salvation. We are equally sinful, but we are also equally saved. God responds to our ungratefulness and evil with what? Kindness. Our call is to simply remember that the playing field is level.

When we’re at our worst, remember that Christ died for you. When we’re at our best, remember that Christ died for them.

So love your enemies: do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. This is a call to forgive.

Christ died for them, just as he died for you. Forgive as he has already forgiven you.