“He who sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will reap bountifully.” –2 Corinthians 9:6 Some people think that God gives sparingly or bountifully depending on what we deserve. However, God often gives bountifully, no matter what we do. For example, when humanity was giving sparingly, God gave so bountifully that He gave His Son in the Incarnation. Our degree of giving does not so much affect God’s degree of giving; rather, it affects our degree of receiving. When we give bountifully, we open ourselves to receive God’s bountiful giving. Thus, it is better to give than...

“My command to you is: love your enemies.” –Matthew 5:44 Loving our enemies means to treat them as well as or better than we treat our friends (see Mt 5:45; Lk 15:29). Loving enemies means praying for them (Mt 5:44) to be blessed by the Lord and then answering our own prayer by bountifully giving to them (see 2 Cor 8:4-5; see also Lk 15:22ff). Loving enemies means showing affection for them in a way they can receive it (Lk 15:20). Loving enemies means honoring them in exceptional ways (Lk 15:22-24). Loving enemies is obviously impossible. It is pure grace....

“You have heard the commandment, ‘An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.’ But what I say to you is: offer no resistance to injury.” –Matthew 5:38-39 Most of us grew up in a Christian environment. We’re accustomed to Christian terminology and activities. Because of this, it’s difficult for people to see Christianity objectively. From the point of view of many outsiders, Christianity is “complete absurdity” (1 Cor 1:18). For example, Jesus commanded us to love our enemies (Mt 5:44), “offer no resistance to injury,” even turn the other cheek, give a bonus to anyone who has defrauded...