“The will of God, to which the law gives expression, is that men should defeat their enemies by loving them…The Christian must treat His enemy as a brother and requite hostility with love. His behavior must be determined not by the way others treat him, but by the treatment he himself receives from Jesus…Who needs our love more than those who are consumed with hatred and are utterly devoid of love?…How is this love to behave? Jesus gives the answer: bless, do good, and pray for your enemies without reserve and without respect of persons.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship (SCM Press: New York, 1959) 148.
I read Bonhoeffer today because I got to be with Eric Metaxas this week at an Alpha event in Chicago. Brilliant brother. Today, I am in Wisconsin and I have the privilege of preaching at Faith Waupaca, where my good friend Dr. Eric Tober, serves as pastor.
I chose this quote because I know few pastors on earth who exhibit the love of Christ more generously than Eric Tober! I heard his testimony when I helped host a Journey of Generosity for EFCA leaders and it moved me.
Eric’s story is his to share, but what I will tell you is this. He’s one of those guys that is so loving and so kind, that you’d think he had the perfect dad. Well, he does. It’s his heavenly Father! Few men receive and share the God’s love as generously as Eric!