And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Luke 6:34-36

In the business world where we are concerned with profits, we consider the return on investment (ROI) to measure the return or profit of a particular expenditure. 

Do we do the same thing in relationships? Sometimes it may be an unconscious decision at some level, but how many of us do good to another person (friend or enemy) and expect nothing in return?

Jesus’ followers should be different from the rest of the world, right? Sinners lend to other sinners. We should go the “extra mile” and do more than just take care of our own. God is “kind to the ungrateful and the evil” and so we should also be kind to those who are against us.

It’s important to remember that we were also God’s enemy at one time and  He demonstrate “his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). And so how can we sacrifice on the behalf of others?