Jesus about the heavenly Father:
“He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:45b NIV).
God is giving certain good things to all people, no matter who they are. In that he does not discriminate. That is what Jesus is saying here.
Rain and Sunshine in Casual Conversations
In casual daily conversations, many people say they do not like the rain. It is not that pleasant to go for a walk outside while it is raining. Rain can be a challenge when you have to work outside for many hours, and it won’t stop.
A few days ago, it was raining a lot. A brook nearby became something of a torrent. Only a few years ago, this brook flooded the whole neighbourhood. Many possessions were rendered worthless.
Fortunately, Jesus mentioned the sun first. People like the sun. Sunbathing is enjoyable as long as it is not too hot.
Rain and Sunshine from an Agricultural Perspective
From an agricultural perspective, rain and sunshine are both important. Farmers get concerned if it rains too much or too little. They get worried about a lack of sunshine. They get concerned about too much heat. All this affects their crop and their yearly income.
Other people do not think so much about these things. They get their food from the supermarket. If crops around here are poor, they can buy foreign products. They only get concerned if the prices rise.
Some others, of course, care about the chemical substances a farmer has used while growing his crop. Other countries don’t have the same rules about the use of chemicals. If crops around here are poor, biologically produced things get more expensive.
Rain and Sunshine in the Middle East 2000 Years ago
Rain and sunshine were more important to people in the Middle East 2000 years ago. Most of them depended on what grew in their home area. Poor crops easily caused a famine.
There were some international trade routes. Yet only more affluent people could buy such products.
Jesus lived in an area where deserts were within reach. People knew something about life in a desert. Hardly anything would grow. Water was very rare in the desert.
The people listening to Jesus’ words easily understood what Jesus wanted to say. Their lives depended on the sun and on rain. God gave both. Sunshine and rain were for the whole village, even for social outsiders and wicked people.
Live in the Desert and Become More Grateful
Some people were living in the desert. John the Baptist spent much time in the desert. He knew the difficulties and hardships. There, he prepared himself for his preaching ministry. He learned to feel with the poor people. He learned how to speak to them.
Jesus spent forty days in the desert fasting. There he was tempted by the devil. When he returned, he began his public ministry. He was preaching, teaching and helping the disabled and the poor. He had an open heart for all kinds of people.
God Is a God of Love
God is a God of Love. Recently, I have been writing about various aspects of God’s Love.
This site mainly focuses on 1 Corinthians 13. In that chapter, we do not find explicit statements about God’s love. Yet you have to know about God’s love as a background for the chapter.
Today’s Emphasis
Today, I emphasize that God is giving certain good things to all kinds of men. God gives them food and the chance to live.
Jesus said about God:
“He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:45b NIV).
(Both images have been generated with an AI provided by WordPress.com for that purpose.)