Love Leads Higher

Love better. Do better. Be better. Here, in this portion of the greatest sermon ever preached, Jesus gives us the equation for "higher ground." Up to this point, through chapter five, He has thoroughly exposed and cast off the pharisaic interpretation of the Law. (Much like a master climber dropping cumbersome gear and excess rope so as not to be hindered moving higher.)

Now, in verse 43, Jesus meets His listeners on ground they are accustomed to already. Love your neighbor. Hate your enemy. Easy ground. Then, He confidently invites all to join Him for a better climb.

The first big step? Love better. Love, bless, pray for your haters (v. 44). Make this your practice, and you identify with Jesus as a Kingdom climber, child of God (v. 45). Earn that climber badge Jesus wants to give you! (Yes, I am a product of AWANA Clubs.)

Next, do better. Extend His better love to all facets of your relationships (v. 46, 47). Do love better with family and strangers alike. Do the same with believers and non-believers alike. Don’t look down, you’re climbing now.

Then, be better (v. 48). What’s that look like? Quite frankly, that’s Jesus! Holy, not hollow. Complete, not incomplete. Fitted out, not fatigued. Prepared to follow Jesus for the climb of your life. It will take concentration, focus, and hard work. But I guarantee you will love the ‘better’ view the higher ground affords. Jesus said so, ironically, from the mount called Olives.

So together, let’s get climbing, and let’s get better for Jesus as we go. After all, it’s better to be a happy climber than a happy camper because love leads us higher.

Reflective Questions

1. Are you climbing? If not, ask God to give you the courage to get started loving better, doing better and being better.
2. How are you climbing? Ask God to help you love better, do better, and be better.
3. Are you stuck on a slope or plateau? Ask God to give you the grace to take on the next stage toward higher ground.

Memory Verse

Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:48 (NKJV)

Prayer

Dear God, this is hard. It is easy to love those that are my friends, but I need Your help to love those that are not. I do pray for those who have persecuted me and made life hard for me. Help me to love the unlovely. Help me always to take the higher ground with others.

Related Scriptures

Leviticus 19:18; Galatians 5:13–14; James 2:8; Romans 12:14; I Peter 3:9; Psalm 145:9; Luke 15:1; Luke 6:32; I Peter 1:15–16