What It Means to Be Christ Like
Seeing the Radical Love of Jesus Through Fresh Eyes
This week is exciting for me because we get to examine how people treated one another in antiquity and just how radical Jesus’ teaching truly was.
It’s easy to miss the shock factor now—after all, for 2,000 years, we’ve lived in a world shaped by His words. But when Jesus said, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you" (Luke 6:27), He wasn’t just teaching kindness. He was rewriting the script of human relationships.
In Jesus’ time, love wasn’t extended to enemies. The norm was retribution, honor for honor, insult for insult. Yet here comes Jesus, flipping the natural order on its head—not asking for passive tolerance, but calling for active, self-giving love. Imagine how radical, even offensive, that must have sounded.
And yet, it’s this teaching—this one small, transformative idea—that changed the world. Jesus' followers embraced it, and over centuries, His ethic of love reshaped how communities, families, and even nations treated one another.
This week, we get to sit at Jesus’ feet and hear this revolutionary call to love again. I'm frankly quite excited for this week. If you look at Luke you will see I jumped over that version of the Beatitudes. I did a series on that last year in church and if you are interested I will research the date and point you to the videos.
Oh - and the following week I will be away. Not sure yet if I will write one big blog before I head out of town or not. (probably yes....)
This week is exciting for me because we get to examine how people treated one another in antiquity and just how radical Jesus’ teaching truly was.
It’s easy to miss the shock factor now—after all, for 2,000 years, we’ve lived in a world shaped by His words. But when Jesus said, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you" (Luke 6:27), He wasn’t just teaching kindness. He was rewriting the script of human relationships.
In Jesus’ time, love wasn’t extended to enemies. The norm was retribution, honor for honor, insult for insult. Yet here comes Jesus, flipping the natural order on its head—not asking for passive tolerance, but calling for active, self-giving love. Imagine how radical, even offensive, that must have sounded.
And yet, it’s this teaching—this one small, transformative idea—that changed the world. Jesus' followers embraced it, and over centuries, His ethic of love reshaped how communities, families, and even nations treated one another.
This week, we get to sit at Jesus’ feet and hear this revolutionary call to love again. I'm frankly quite excited for this week. If you look at Luke you will see I jumped over that version of the Beatitudes. I did a series on that last year in church and if you are interested I will research the date and point you to the videos.
Oh - and the following week I will be away. Not sure yet if I will write one big blog before I head out of town or not. (probably yes....)
Monday: Loving the Unlovable
NT Scripture: Luke 6:27
OT Scripture: Exodus 23:4-5
Ok - so most of you know I am a former Marine - that means I spoke two languages - English and Cursing. Now I was lucky. Halfway through my career I realized that one single word (you know which one I mean) did not need to be a noun, verb, adjective, preposition, past-participle or even an interrogative. For me cursing was a sign of poor vocabulary and a sloping frontal lobe. I still see it that way. However, in antiquity - cursing actually had a purpose - and not a good one. (I told you this week will be fun!)
Historical Context
In the ancient world, curses were not just insults—they were tools of power. To curse someone was to call divine or supernatural forces against them, often as an act of vengeance or justice. Public honor was everything, and curses were common in disputes, rivalries, or even wars. For example: (I found this fascinating...)
Now we need to consider the context and times of Jesus. In this context, Jesus’ words were revolutionary. Responding to a curse with a blessing wasn’t just countercultural—it was disarming. To bless someone who curses you was to refuse participation in the cycle of hate and vengeance. - I can imagine it was a times even comical!
But there was a bigger reason - It was choosing to reflect God’s mercy rather than human retaliation.
Jesus' teaching wasn’t theoretical.
The early Church lived it—and it changed the world. During Roman persecutions, Christians were often slandered, imprisoned, and even martyred. Yet they prayed for their persecutors, often blessing those who cursed them.
These acts of love in the face of hate didn’t just shock their enemies—it planted seeds of transformation. Many persecutors became Christians after seeing this radical love in action.
Even in the Old Testament, Job sets an example of refusing to curse his enemies. He states that he never rejoiced in their misfortune or allowed his lips to invoke harm on them. Job understood that righteousness isn’t just about outward actions—it’s about the posture of the heart. Jesus takes this deeper, showing us that the ultimate expression of love is not just withholding curses but actively speaking blessing and praying for those who mistreat us.
I remember one time when I casually mentioned that I never used that certain word. My fellow Marines taunted me and said - of course you do. I simply asked them to recall a time they had ever heard me use it. Their eyes got wide as they pondered back and then they said "You're @#&% right!" It was a small victory. I'll take it.
Reflection for Today
Let’s be honest: this teaching feels impossible. How do we bless the coworker who spreads lies about us, the family member who constantly criticizes, or the stranger online who insults us? If you are on Facebook - how do you do it? I had to get off of it. I now only log in from time to time when I see a message to me.
Why - Because, our first instinct is often to fight back, to defend ourselves, or at least to wish them ill in return. That is not Christian like - but we can be anonymous can't we. But we are not anonymous to God!
Jesus shows us a new way. Blessing those who curse us is not about passivity—it’s about transformation. When we refuse to curse back, we’re breaking the cycle of hate. And when we pray for those who mistreat us, we invite God into the situation, trusting Him to bring justice, healing, and peace.
Think about this: the early Church didn’t grow because of its power or wealth. It grew because people saw how radically different Christians were—how they loved their enemies, forgave their persecutors, and blessed those who cursed them. That same love can change the world today, starting with us. We can do this - even one at a time! Embrace the change!
Reflection Question:
Lets do some hard work today - Who is one person in your life who has hurt you or spoken against you?
How can you pray for them and speak God’s blessing over them this week?
NT Scripture: Luke 6:27
OT Scripture: Exodus 23:4-5
Ok - so most of you know I am a former Marine - that means I spoke two languages - English and Cursing. Now I was lucky. Halfway through my career I realized that one single word (you know which one I mean) did not need to be a noun, verb, adjective, preposition, past-participle or even an interrogative. For me cursing was a sign of poor vocabulary and a sloping frontal lobe. I still see it that way. However, in antiquity - cursing actually had a purpose - and not a good one. (I told you this week will be fun!)
Historical Context
In the ancient world, curses were not just insults—they were tools of power. To curse someone was to call divine or supernatural forces against them, often as an act of vengeance or justice. Public honor was everything, and curses were common in disputes, rivalries, or even wars. For example: (I found this fascinating...)
- The Roman World: Romans used curse tablets—small pieces of lead inscribed with words asking the gods to harm enemies. These were buried in graves or thrown into sacred springs, symbolizing the curse reaching the spiritual realm.
- The Jewish Tradition: While curses were condemned in Jewish law (Exodus 22:28), they were still culturally understood as a way to call down God’s judgment on wrongdoers. Even in the Psalms, we see cries for God to “curse” the wicked (Psalm 109:6-19).
Now we need to consider the context and times of Jesus. In this context, Jesus’ words were revolutionary. Responding to a curse with a blessing wasn’t just countercultural—it was disarming. To bless someone who curses you was to refuse participation in the cycle of hate and vengeance. - I can imagine it was a times even comical!
But there was a bigger reason - It was choosing to reflect God’s mercy rather than human retaliation.
Jesus' teaching wasn’t theoretical.
The early Church lived it—and it changed the world. During Roman persecutions, Christians were often slandered, imprisoned, and even martyred. Yet they prayed for their persecutors, often blessing those who cursed them.
- One famous example is Stephen, the first martyr. As his enemies stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60). His response mirrored Jesus on the cross, who also prayed for His executioners.
- Another example comes from Polycarp, an early Church leader. When he was arrested and sentenced to death, he prayed for the very soldiers who carried out his execution, blessing them even as they lit the flames.
These acts of love in the face of hate didn’t just shock their enemies—it planted seeds of transformation. Many persecutors became Christians after seeing this radical love in action.
Even in the Old Testament, Job sets an example of refusing to curse his enemies. He states that he never rejoiced in their misfortune or allowed his lips to invoke harm on them. Job understood that righteousness isn’t just about outward actions—it’s about the posture of the heart. Jesus takes this deeper, showing us that the ultimate expression of love is not just withholding curses but actively speaking blessing and praying for those who mistreat us.
I remember one time when I casually mentioned that I never used that certain word. My fellow Marines taunted me and said - of course you do. I simply asked them to recall a time they had ever heard me use it. Their eyes got wide as they pondered back and then they said "You're @#&% right!" It was a small victory. I'll take it.
Reflection for Today
Let’s be honest: this teaching feels impossible. How do we bless the coworker who spreads lies about us, the family member who constantly criticizes, or the stranger online who insults us? If you are on Facebook - how do you do it? I had to get off of it. I now only log in from time to time when I see a message to me.
Why - Because, our first instinct is often to fight back, to defend ourselves, or at least to wish them ill in return. That is not Christian like - but we can be anonymous can't we. But we are not anonymous to God!
Jesus shows us a new way. Blessing those who curse us is not about passivity—it’s about transformation. When we refuse to curse back, we’re breaking the cycle of hate. And when we pray for those who mistreat us, we invite God into the situation, trusting Him to bring justice, healing, and peace.
Think about this: the early Church didn’t grow because of its power or wealth. It grew because people saw how radically different Christians were—how they loved their enemies, forgave their persecutors, and blessed those who cursed them. That same love can change the world today, starting with us. We can do this - even one at a time! Embrace the change!
Reflection Question:
Lets do some hard work today - Who is one person in your life who has hurt you or spoken against you?
How can you pray for them and speak God’s blessing over them this week?
Tuesday: Blessing Those Who Curse You
NT Scripture: Luke 6:28
OT Scripture: Job 31:29-30
NT Scripture: Luke 6:28
OT Scripture: Job 31:29-30
Wednesday: Turning the Other Cheek
NT Scripture: Luke 6:29-30
OT Scripture: Proverbs 25:21-22
NT Scripture: Luke 6:29-30
OT Scripture: Proverbs 25:21-22
Thursday: The Golden Rule
NT Scripture: Luke 6:31
OT Scripture: Leviticus 19:18
NT Scripture: Luke 6:31
OT Scripture: Leviticus 19:18
Friday: Loving Without Expectation
NT Scripture: Luke 6:32-34
OT Scripture: Micah 6:8
NT Scripture: Luke 6:32-34
OT Scripture: Micah 6:8
Saturday: Be Merciful, as Your Father Is Merciful
NT Scripture: Luke 6:35-36
OT Scripture: Psalm 103:8-13
NT Scripture: Luke 6:35-36
OT Scripture: Psalm 103:8-13
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