Two Tablets Before Bed Isn’t Enough

Luke 6:27-38

One of the biggest problems in the United states is our demand for instant results. Instant mashed potatoes, coffee, are just examples. Years ago, TV dinners were invented to save the time of preparing a meal, and today almost any thing can be obtained ready prepared. In my research on diabetes, I was amazed to discover the amount of difference in food values and effects on our bodies of these prepared foods.

For example, a cinnamon roll you buy at the convenience store or vending machine has almost twice calories as a similar sweet roll bought at a donut shop. I’m not saying either roll is good for you, but the prepackaged one is worse. The prepackaged roll uses high fructose corn syrup, a natural sugar that is twice sweet as regular sugar, and is totally absorbed by the body, while about half of regular sugar is not absorbed by the digestion system. The donut shop usually uses regular sugar.

Commercially produced oils are also added to the dough to retain a sense of moistness that is provided by water in the donut shop version, and these oils are absorbed by the body, but cannot be utilized by the cells, remaining in the blood stream until filtered out in the kidneys and liver. They contribute to the build up of plaque in the blood vessels and increased danger of blood clots and blockage.

By simply buying a donut at the donut shop rather than from a vending machine, The effect on one’s blood sugar will be reduced by about seventy five percent. While I do not advocate eating either donut, it is clear that a very minor change can have major impact. You didn’t even have to do without the donut. The same thing is true in a lot of areas of life. The changes may not even be visible to others.

In America, rather than taking responsibility for such things, we go to someone who promises instant relief with no effort on our purpose. We expect the doctor to give a pill to fix what is wrong without changing our lifestyle. We expect a politician to instantly solve the economic crisis with no changes for us. People come to Christ the same way, expecting forgiveness and loss of guilt, while not intending to make any real changes in our life.

In John 5, Jesus healed the impotent man. Later he met him and in John 5:14, warns him of the need for change. “Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” While Jesus had healed him of the original problem, continuing his old lifestyle would only lead to worse problems.

When we come to Christ for forgiveness, he forgives and saves us. If we do not make appropriate changes in our life, however, we find ourselves in a steadily accelerating downhill spiral which can only end in a crash unless action is taken to stop it. Jesus here teaches the people about the changes they need to make in their lives to avoid getting into worse shape.

“But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.” (Luke 6:27-29)

The first thing that needs to change is our attitude toward others. It goes deeper than just not hitting back, but of actually loving the person. “Killing them with kindness” or rubbing their wickedness in is not the goal. God will take care of heaping coals on their head when he judges them. We are to learn to yield and submit, giving up our pride and genuinely caring for even those who abuse us. We need to learn to focus outside ourselves.

“Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.” (Luke 6:30-34)

Human beings are naturally self centered and even our efforts to help others are based on some benefit to ourselves, either that the person will return the money, or that we will get some other benefit. A lot of what is given to charity is given for the tax write off or for the publicity, rather than for the benefit of the recipient. When the attitude is correct, the giving would be done even if no one noticed, and there was no financial incentive. Christians are not to be natural people, but spiritual, or spirit led.

“But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.” (Luke 6:35-36)

As our attitude changes, we become less judgmental toward others. We begin to realize the times we have done similar things and understand that God forgave us. It is hard to get very angry at the driver who inadvertently cut me off if I remember the time I cut off someone else the same way, but if I pridefully deny my own guilt, it is easy to get angry.

“Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” (Luke 6:37-38)

Verse 31 is what most people know as the Golden rule. “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” Jesus was quite specific that we need to treat others the way we want to be treated because that is how they will treat us. It is not just a philosophical theory, it is reality. You will be treated the same way you treat others.