Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Sun and Rain

I have often heard people comment when something annoying happens that "God brings rain on the just and unjust alike."  They are commenting that "well, we all have to go through these things."  In reading through Matthew chapter 5, I realized that that is a very un-contextual way to use that scripture.  Jesus is speaking about how we should live our lives in relation to other people.  He is telling us that we should not only love our friends, but our enemies.  We should treat everyone with love and generosity.  His comparison is that we should do this because that is what God does.  He gives good sunshine and rain to everyone no matter how they are living their lives.  They are all treated with these good things in nature.  Isn't it just like us to take something positive like that scripture and turn it into a way to complain?  Thank you God that you bring the sun and rain to nurture us even when we don't deserve it.

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.   Matthew 5:44-45

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for posting this. Zack and I were just talking of this exact scripture and it's context. Many people, christian and unchristian alike, use that section of scripture to say that it is ok that we go through those things. Sometimes hardship teaches us lessons that bring us closer to God. But we are his children. We are favored in his eyes.

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