“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:43-48, NIV).
There are shows from the 70’s and 80’s when I was growing up that I just loved to watch. Through the wonders of Netflix and Hulu I have been able to see those favorite series of my childhood again. Seeing some of those shows again make me wonder what I was thinking for liking them so much. Some shows (let’s be honest) just don’t pass the test of time. There are however, some that still hold up—like Columbo, that rumpled raincoat-wearing-cigar smoking LA homicide detective that always had just one more question. What it lacks in special effects it more than makes up for in every other way. Columbo remains one of my favorite detective shows. Lately my wife and I have been re-watching the series on Netflix.
You can learn a thing or two from watching him. One of the things I have been learning in watching Columbo is that he is a great illustration of what it means to love your enemies. He doesn’t intimidate, or use force, or even carry a gun. He does not work to embarrass, demean, or ridicule his suspects. To the contrary, he is always polite, kind, and respectful of them. He doesn’t hide from the truth, but is always gracious—often sitting with them, or having a drink or a cigar with them after they have been caught.
It seems to me that Christians who encounter people whom they feel need to be held to account for this or that or the other thing often feel the need to be more like someone from The Blacklist, NCIS, or SVU. The church doesn’t need more Raymond Reddingtons, it needs more Columbos.
Just sayin’…..
Learning To Be Full Of Grace And Truth. 