Matthew 5:43-48 – “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?  Even the tax collectors do the same, don’t they?  ⁴⁷ And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do?  Even the Gentiles do the same, don’t they?  ⁴⁸ So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

As I read Matthew’s Gospel today, I was inspired to pray and reflect on specific passages.  If we read scripture without chapter divisions and verse distinctions, we often see something previously not linked.

Jesus’ ministry, method, and pattern were to build precept upon precept and put line upon line as He wove a theme of life practice and spiritual revelation.  He gave the information needed to live godly lives.

In Matthew 5:44, He emphasized loving those we consider our enemies (our antagonists).  In Matthew 6:6-13, He gave us the biblical pattern of prayer.  In vv.  14-15, He connects forgiveness from us and to us to prayer.  It is the doorway or the key into His presence.

Then, in vv.  19-21, He highlights the focus and warns against making the fulfillment of the flesh our focus.  The ground is the flesh, and heaven the spiritual.  The one we elevate to preeminence will house our treasure and produce the fruit of that realm.

It is interesting to see the link between Matthew 6:33 and 7:1-2.  Judging is done from one of the realms (fleshly desires or God’s heart).  Also, generosity, or the lack thereof, flows in the same stream.  The Law of Sowing and Reaping is clearly seen.

Matthew 7:12-13 does not offer unrelated topics or principles.  The Golden Rule is connected to the Narrow Door and its absence to the Wide Door and Broad Road. 

In verses 21-23, we discover that the foundation for our confession stems from a stream of self-centeredness or God-centeredness.  We cannot earn favor with God, but we can earn disfavor.  Consistent behavior, good or bad, is a reflection of the heart.  You can’t fake it ’til you make it with God.  We cannot earn favor or perform our way into favor, but we can perform our way out of favor.

Everything flows from the heart.  If our behavior is unsavory, we need to examine our hearts.  If He holds our hearts, He extends His hand, and we have the provision needed to be Who He designed and desires us to be.

LORD, help us to surrender our whole hearts to you!