1. Love your enemies (27-31)

When we are mistreated, our natural inclination is to reciprocate in kind. Jesus' disciples do not retaliate. Jesus commands his disciples to love their enemies and to pray for those who mistreat them. If we are Jesus' disciples, we are not to withhold but always give - even when someone takes what belongs to us! We are to do to others as we would have them do to us. When we wrong others, we too want to be treated with mercy and grace. In fact, this is how God treats us.

2. Be merciful like your Father (32-36)

In the world, we can love those who love us. We can do good to those who do good to us. But Jesus wants his disciples to love those who do not love them. Jesus' disciples are to give unconditionally. Jesus' disciples live out an ethic that reflects God's kindness, generosity and mercy to us. We are often ungrateful and wicked but our Heavenly Father loves us and demonstrates his tender mercy. When we do the same, we show ourselves as children of God and our reward in heaven will be great