Love, Pray, Give - Practice The Servant Life

To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, gift-wrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously. - Luke 6:27-30 MSG

Love - Pray - Give, are the key words that emerge from the text today. This is a recipe to deal with life in general, including in our response to provocation and abuse by an enemy - even if the enemy lives in our home or works in our life space.

The big shift in attitude and behaviour comes from a new paradigm  - a new invitation, to "use the occasion to practice the servant life".

It is important to note that the context of this passage deals with persecution and suffering for our faith and not physical, verbal, emotional or sexual abuse - as it is wrongly applied in some people's minds.