What Jesus Did! 'Benevolent Compassion' — Matthew 5:42

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges us to a way of life that does not reflect conventional thinking. These radical challenges should not be read legalistically. At the same time, we must hear Jesus' imploring us to live by a Kingdom family ethic toward others so that we can be powerful witnesses in a world so self-absorbed. Letting someone take financial advantage of us is not Jesus' intention. (There certainly are other passages in the New Testament that help us understand this principle. For example, we are to be faithful stewards, Matthew 25:21.) Jesus definitely wants us to be incredibly generous with others. We must refuse to put our personal possessions above the needs of others. Our citizenship in God's Kingdom should be the primary consideration determining what we do to help, how we help, and how much we give up to help, remembering that Jesus left heaven and gave his life for us. But clearly, our lifestyle should be one of blessing and helping and giving, not judging and criticizing and hoarding.