Remember the phrase, “Be Kind Rewind”? If you know what that means then congratulations, you’re a dinosaur like me. If you don’t, basically there was a time before Netflix and Hulu, people would flock to a Blockbuster to rent and take home VHS tapes of their favorite movies to watch. On the cover would be a simple reminder from your friends at the video store, that after you watch your VHS movie of the week, before returning it, make sure to rewind the tape for the next person to watch. I remember there were times I would be so annoyed after putting the tape in the VCR for the first time and finding out how the movie ended. I remember thinking horrible thoughts that I’d like to do to that person for being such a rude inconsiderate idiot. How dare they make me rewind the whole thing which maybe took a whole five to ten minutes of my life! Now this is a lighthearted illustration but there will be many times in our lives when we will have to face morons and when we do, we will be faced with one of two choices. Will we be kind, or give them a piece of our mind? As Christians we are reminded everyday to “be kind and rewind” in our dealings with others. Jesus commands us to “Treat others as you would want to be treated.” This is the famous Golden Rule, and one that most people are familiar with and would agree on. However, where most people fail in this area, is that we only think we are to show kindness to those who are kind back to us. That’s not at all what Jesus is saying here. Jesus isn’t referring to just loving lovable people. If that was the case, who would need a Savior to help you do that? It’s easy to treat people with respect when they are nice to us but what about those that are just plain rude or hurtful? No, this verse is applying to everyone especially our enemies. For Jesus goes on to ask in Luke chapter 6 verses 31-36, what good is it to love others who love you? For even “sinners” do that. He then goes on to point out that we should do whatever we can to show our enemies love to them, even lend them the cloak on our backs. This is not easy but God promises us that He will reward us. You see, too many people practice love to others who will love them back because they know they are getting something in return. But Jesus doesn’t want us to love others to expect anything in return from anyone. He wants us to be totally dependent on the Father’s love for us, so that the only expectation we should have is that our Heavenly Father will provide for us. In doing this we prove that we are truly sons and daughters of God. How did we become children of God? It is only by God’s mercy. Scripture says “when we were still sinners, Christ demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us”. We were once objects of His wrath but His unconditional love rescued us from sin and death. Remember, His kindness leads us to repentance and only those who have been loved much can love much. Is this easy? Absolutely not and sometimes we will fail to respond in love but take heart, you weren’t saved because of your goodness. God is gracious and kind and will always rewind, giving us another chance to start over.
Luke 6:31-37 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
31 [a]Treat others the same way you want [b]them to treat you. 32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, [c]expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. 36 [d]Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Romans 5:8 New International Version (NIV)
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.