Reading Matthew 5:43-48; 6:1-4.
Jesus raised the bar; love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you….vs 43-48; be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (vs 48).
Give to the needy in secret that the Father will reward you (Matthew 6:4, NIV).
Matthew 5:43-48
[43]“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your friends, hate your enemies.’
[44]But now I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
[45]so that you may become the children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun to shine on bad and good people alike, and gives rain to those who do good and to those who do evil.
[46]Why should God reward you if you love only the people who love you? Even the tax collectors do that!
[47]And if you speak only to your friends, have you done anything out of the ordinary? Even the pagans do that!
[48]You must be perfect — just as your Father in heaven is perfect!
Matthew 6:1-4
[1]“Make certain you do not perform your religious duties in public so that people will see what you do. If you do these things publicly, you will not have any reward from your Father in heaven.
[2]“So when you give something to a needy person, do not make a big show of it, as the hypocrites do in the houses of worship and on the streets. They do it so that people will praise them. I assure you, they have already been paid in full.
[3]But when you help a needy person, do it in such a way that even your closest friend will not know about it.
[4]Then it will be a private matter. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you.