耶稣要我们明白，我们对待那些粗鲁、令人讨厌、懒惰、自私或不友善之人的方式反映出我们与神关系的状况。与我们的朋友相处是关系的一方面。但我们对待那些令我们抓狂之人的方式也很重要，因为它是我们对福音不可思议的恩典的一部分见证。

为了做到这一点，我们必须从正确认识自我开始。你和我都是罪人。我们都很自私。我们都犯过错。我们也都伤害过别人。我们都未履行我们的某些责任。马太福音第五章的大部分内容都在向我们揭示我们的罪之深重。

然而，尽管这些都是事实，神会怎样对我们呢？神如何回应我们呢？

虽然我们的行为可能会有恶果，但最终神并没有选择惩罚我们，也没有抛弃我们。相反，祂伸出怜悯和同情的手，与我们保持关系。祂呼召我们向别人去做同样的事——甚至对那些已经与我们为敌的人。

It’s easy to love people who think like us and treat us well. But if we want to be like God, who gives sunshine and rain to provide for everyone—whether good or bad—we have to learn to be more generous than most people.

Jesus wants us to understand that the way we treat people who are rude, obnoxious, lazy, selfish, or unkind reflects the state of our relationship with God. It’s one thing to get along with our friends. But the way we treat the people who drive us crazy matters too, because it’s part of our witness to the scandalous grace of the gospel.

In order to do this, we have to start with an accurate understanding of who we are. You and I are sinners. We have been selfish. We have done wrong. We have hurt others. We have failed to fulfill our responsibilities. Much of Matthew 5 has been showing us just how deep our sin runs.

And yet even though all of this is true, how does God feel about us?

How does God respond to us? While there may be consequences for our actions, ultimately God chooses not to lash out or to write us off. Instead, God extends mercy and compassion and stays in relationship with us. And he calls us to go and do likewise—even to people who have become our enemies.