This Jesus shocks us today In the way he teaches us to act Such a strange and different way To live and feel and so strangely react
He wants us not to hate those who hate But to reach out to them with love Yet how can I suppress that impulse Without his help from above
He wants us not to harbor all hurtful things But to forgive those who have done us so This is so difficult to live out truly Yet he says my hurt must heal and go
He wants us not to resent what’s taken But to let it go freely to another How can I not want to regain what is mine Instead treat the taker as brother
He wants us to reach and to love all as ourself Even if they do not return the gift How can I not resent their affront And all my hurtful feelings so to shift
He wants us to lend and let it all go Even if I lose what I have given, forever How can I not want things mine returned Yet trust that my attachment is better severed
He wants my mercy to flow so freely To those who have hurt and taken from me How can I not want to strike back at them How can I just with love, let it be
He wants me not to judge at all Those who do not or have not cared How can I not judge and condemn the guilty And let all my defenses be bared
He wants me to forgive all hurt From those who truly do me wrong How can I not harbor such ill will And treat all like they belong
He wants me to give all that I have And expect more to receive How can I do such a painful thing And how can I these strange ways believe
Dear Jesus give me the grace I pray To not just reap what I sow But to give it all away With faith that with your grace I can follow your loving plan With trust in all that I try to do And in all that I try to say