We really don't!

And I'm talking liberals, conservatives, Protestants, Catholics - the whole bunch of us.

Jesus could have done the Rodney Dangerneld routine. He gets no respect.

Take capital punishment, for example. Carla Faye Tucker has managed, in her death, to raise the level of discussion.

Where do you think Jesus stands on the issue?

Does it make a difference to you?

I actually talked about the death penalty occasionally even before Carla Faye. It's one of the best examples of how popular Christian opinion can be incompatible with the teachings of Jesus.

It's as though our Lord's opinion doesn't matter.

And he was clear about it, you know. He never beat around the bush about anything.

In simple, direct terms Jesus taught that we are to treat everyone - including the enemy - in a way that is most likely to bring them to salvation. He asks us to love the enemy in the same way God does.

This doesn't mean we sit back and let the evil person destroy the innocent. We take lives in war to protect the innocent, but always the Christian calling is to save as many lives as possible, the innocent and the guilty.

And if we have the guilty behind bars, secured from society, our goal must be to save, not to destroy.

Every person has eternal value, and God shows grace to all.

How do we know?

Jesus said so. And isn't it time for us to listen to him?

"God sends the rain on the just and on the unjust," said our Lord. "He is kind to the evil and to the unthankful." Then he adds this word to us: "Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful."

The words are clear. We just have trouble hearing them - and surely we know why.

Our vision is dark and our hearts are sinful.

That's why he had to die to save us.

Be in worship somewhere this Sunday. God's ways are not our ways, and we need to hear about God's ways.