Thank You, Mr. Presidents!

When I was a young boy we didn’t have a Presidents’ Weekend we celebrated the actual birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. By far my favorite of the two celebrations was George Washington’s because on that day we would have sugar cookies shaped like hatchets and lots of cherry pie. But my parents seized the moment to tell me about George when he was about my age. Remember the story. George received a brand new hatchet and immediately went out and about trying out his new gift. However, one victim of his hatchet was his father’s favorite cherry tree. When his father saw the tree he was very angry and asked George if he knew what happened to the tree. George, surprised at first, then replied, “I cannot tell a lie, father, I cannot tell a lie. I cut it down.” My parents would emphasize that if I wanted to grow up and be someone special – even to be the president – it was important for me to be good, to be honest, to always tell the truth. So they set before me a new goal.

Reflecting on Matthew’s account of the Sermon on the Mount. you will see Jesus seizing the moment and setting before us a new goal. Jesus is replacing the old rules with new ones. He is raising the bar on what it means to be a disciple. Jesus is challenging us to go beyond what is expected, beyond what we might think is reasonable or even achievable. He is calling us to love our enemies, turn the other cheek, and pray for those who persecute you.

The question is how can we respond to the goal of Jesus. Think of times someone has hurt you, where you have been betrayed or a relationship has been destroyed. All that seems to come to mind is revenge, striking back, certainly not loving them, nor praying for them. But here is how President Lincoln responded:

During the Civil War, President Lincoln made a speech in which he referred to the Southern Confederates as “erring human beings,’ rather than as enemies of the United States. An elderly lady complained to him, “Mr. President, how can you refer to such slave-holding rebels as ‘erring human beings’; they are actually sworn enemies of the Union and of freedom.” Lincoln replied calmly, “Why, madam, do I not destroy my enemies when I make them friends?’ Lincoln was putting the new goal of Jesus into practice.

The Spirit of the living God will do it! The Holy Spirit can make the impossible  - possible; can empower us to pray and love our enemies. The Holy Spirit can help us strive to become more like Jesus. The spirit of the living God can help us to always tell the truth or to destroy our enemies by making them friends.

We need to say Yes. We need to daily pray Come Holy Spirit!