“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:44-45a NIV
This chapter is the beginning of Christ’s sermon on the mount. This sermon is not so much the doctrine of Christianity and the things to be believed, but rather the agenda of Christianity and the things that need to be done.
We cannot become like God in power or wisdom and that should not be our goal. Our goal, however, is to strive to be like Him in his love. The love that we are to reproduce is towards those who are our enemies – those who persecute us. We are told by Jesus that we are to pray for them and offer them grace. Though it is common to render good for good, we are to render good for evil. We are to be different than the world and it is in that difference that others will be drawn towards Christ.
May we call upon the Lord, asking Him to equip and enable us in order to prove ourselves as His children, and thereby bringing glory to our Heavenly Father.
Lock Your Wings 
I think you’re right: many of the things in this chapter suggests the agenda of Christianity. I think the biggest takeaway is that we are to be different, separate, and unique which causes other to wonder why. It’s not always easy but I think it’s also to allow us to remind ourselves that the Kingdom of God’s kingdom is upside down (those who experience hard things will be blessed).. it also reminds us that Jesus would do hard things: put the needs of others above his own and hold earthly things a little looser: “Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.”
Matthew 5:42 NLT
I think the biggest take away is that living on earth is temporary so live countercultural to invite others to ask you why.
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