“That ye may be the children of Your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”
(Matthew 5:45)
The call of Christ is a call to charity, to live not only in purity before God but in love toward others. We must remember that holiness is not confined only to worship or private devotion; it must spill over into every relationship, shaping how we treat our friends, neighbors, and even enemies. For the Lord tells us to “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:44-45). This passage reminds us that forgiveness and acts of kindness are not optional for the Christian—they are the very marks of being God’s children.[1]
Paul likewise presses this point when he exhorts the Galatians, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). Charity begins in the family of God, for believers share one Spirit and one inheritance in Christ. Yet it must not end there. The command of Christ compels His disciples to extend charity even beyond the circle of the brethren to those who oppose them, insult them, or even persecute them.
The age-old law of retaliation—“an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth”—was common even among devout Jews. And we all experience that instinct for revenge, for it is natural to fallen man. But Christ’s way is higher. “Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). Paul puts the command into practical terms: “If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink” (Romans 12:20). Such acts of love reveal the grace of Christ and expose the emptiness of hatred.
Moreover, to live charitably is to imitate the Father. God Himself causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good. He sends rain on the just and the unjust. If He extends kindness to all, His children must also reflect His likeness by doing the same. We must bless instead of curse, forgive instead of revile, restore instead of retaliate, and pray instead of persecute—for this is God’s way.
As much as love is above hatred and heaven above hell, so the charity of Christianity stands above every other ethic in the world. It is the radiant proof that God has made His people new creatures in Christ.
Contemplations:
- Embracing divine charity. As a follower of Christ, I am called to love others as He loves me. “If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink” (Romans 12:20). This command is a divine mandate to mirror Christ’s love, for He loved me when I was still an enemy of God. This challenges me to make sure my interactions with others reflect the love and grace of Jesus.
- Overcoming evil with good. Paul tells us in Romans 12:21, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” This teaching shows me that I must remember to respond to negativity with positivity and to counter hatred with love. By choosing good over evil, I align myself with His divine will which is to pursue peace and love in my interactions with others.
- The unique call of Christianity. The kind of radical love taught and modeled by Christ, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44), goes against my natural inclinations and pushes me toward a higher standard of living. It reminds me that my faith is to reflect the heart of Christ, characterized by forgiveness and compassion, even toward those who wish me harm.
- Living as children of God. Living out the command to love and bless those who oppose me is a mark of true Christianity. “That ye may be the children of Your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:45). This reminds me that my actions should reflect my heavenly Father’s nature. By embodying these virtues, I not only honor God but also show the world the transformative power of His love as a representative of God and His kingdom here on earth.
Prayer (supplication):
O gracious Father, fountain of love and mercy, I come before You confessing my need for a heart enlarged by Your Spirit. You command me to love even my enemies, to bless those who curse me, to forgive those who wound me, to pray for those who persecute me. Yet in myself I find reluctance, bitterness, and the lingering desire to repay evil for evil. Lord, I plead for Your grace to overcome the hardness of my heart.
Grant me the charity of Christ, who while nailed to the cross prayed, “Father, forgive them.” Let His Spirit dwell richly in me, teaching me to forgive as I have been forgiven, to show kindness even when wronged, to return good for evil. Subdue every impulse of vengeance, extinguish every spark of resentment, and replace them with patience, meekness, and tenderheartedness.
I ask, Lord, that You would open my eyes to the needs of those around me. Let me not pass by opportunities to do good, whether to brethren in the faith or to strangers in the world. Make me willing to bear others’ burdens, quick to serve, ready to comfort, eager to reconcile. Let my hands be instruments of blessing, my tongue an agent of peace, and my life a testimony to the charity of Christ.
Remember Your church, O Lord, and fill her with this spirit of love. Let congregations shine as lights in a dark world by their care for one another and their kindness toward all. Break down walls of hostility, heal divisions, and cause Your people to reflect their Father in heaven who makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good.
Lord, keep my heart from pride that looks down on others. And instead shape me into a vessel fit for Your use, marked by love above hatred, blessing above cursing, forgiveness above bitterness, and prayer above persecution.
I plead, Father, let Your love be perfected in me. Let the world see Your character in my charity and let my life be a small reflection of Your boundless mercy. Bring me at last into Your kingdom where love is perfected and grant me to share in the joy of Christ who loved me and gave Himself for me.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References for Matthew 5:45:
Matthew 5:9; Acts 14:17; Ephesians 5:1; Psalm 145:9
[1] Edward Leigh, A Treatise of the Divine Promises in Five Books (London: George Miller, and are to be sold by Thomas Underhill .., 1641), 322.
