The Pharisees gathered together with one goal, they wanted to disconcert Jesus with questions about the greatest commandment of the Law. I can just imagine them coming to Jesus with such great energy carrying the 613 laws in their mind as a weapon and believing that they would return home victorious. Surprisingly, Jesus disarmed them because he was not their rival.
Jesus did not take revenge because he saw them as equals. Jesus answered, knowing that they would understand. How can we imitate Jesus and relate to others on the same level.
How? – by not returning anger with anger but kindness with kindness. Jesus once said, if someone asked you to walk one mile, walk two miles. When someone slaps you on the left cheek, give them your right cheek too.
We can find all the clues we need in the bible, maybe less than 613 or maybe more. But if we do it out of love for God and others, then all of us are winners. It seems to me that Jesus asks us not to be too stingy and just stick to rules, but be generous and then we will see the kingdom of God in this world.
A country that has many weapons and claims that they are only for self-defense are not being truthful. Whether defending or attacking, the goal is to win. So, let us be careful with our desire to be the winner and leave others behind. One day we might find ourselves totally alone and friendless.
Is that what we really want?