rewriting the sermon on the mount

 The other day, one of our girls said that someone she knows is her “enemy.” I paused. 

And then I said, “Do you know what Jesus said about enemies?” 

She answered, “No, what?” 

I replied, “He said, ‘Love your enemies.’”

For a phrase I’ve heard a thousand times, it was remarkable to see the shock on her face. It reminded me just how important these teachings are, and inspired me to revisit them with our kids in mind. 

I’ve begun preparing the Sermon on the Mount to share it with our kids. I make changes that maintain what I believe to be the messages and teachings Jesus would have intended for them today. I feel permission to make these adaptations because I join a history of re-interpreters and literary developers. Here is a taste of what I’ve been working on: 

Reinterpretation of an Excerpt from Matthew 5-6 

Many people say, “If you hurt me, I’ll hurt you back.” But I tell you that it is better to do kindness to the one who hurts you. If someone takes your coat, give them your sweater as well. If someone tells you to carry their bag, offer to carry their coat as well.

Many people say, “Love your friends and hate your enemies.” But I tell you, love your enemies, and pray for those who hurt you, so that you may be like God. For God gives sunshine to everyone and rain to everyone. If you only love those who love you, what good will that do? Anyone can do that. If you’re only kind when it benefits you, is that really kindness? Even your enemies can do that. But you can do more, just as God does more. 

Chapter 6

Don’t do good things for others just for people to see it, because then it’s not truly for others, it’s for yourself. So when you give to the needy, don’t go tell everyone what you did, or you’ll lose the goodness of the giving. Instead, when you give to the needy, do it secretly so that even your left hand doesn’t know what your right hand is doing! When God sees you doing this, God will reward you in secret too.  

And when you pray, don’t just make it sound fancy, as if God needs lots of fancy words. God knows what you want to pray before you even say it! Instead, pray like this: 

God who is everywhere, 

You are holy. 

May your kingdom come, may your ways be done among us so our world may be as you made it to be. 

Give us what we need today, 

And forgive us for our mistakes

Just as we forgive others for their mistakes. 

Help us do what is right even when it is difficult for us.