Today’s gospel includes portions from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, which, at first glance, seems to contain some contradictory advice. First, there is the golden rule: “Do unto others” as we would have them do to us. Today, we read to preach the gospel to others but don’t throw your pearls to the pigs and waste time on those who are not receptive.

When we recognize that someone is not receptive to our efforts to love them, we are not being rude or failing to live out the golden rule. Jesus is telling us to give more consideration to our own behavior than that of others. I have often told my kids this over the years, usually in the abbreviated form of “just worry about yourself.”

We can’t control what others do or say, whether that’s on the playground, in our place of employment, or in our social circles, but we can control our own behavior. We can react to real or perceived wrongs with anger and defensiveness or with compassion, curiosity, and forgiveness, even when the other person is not sorry. We can give grace to others, even in their moments of anger or weakness, as we hope they might do for us.

Jesus reminds us that following him will not always be easy and may not be intuitive. The gate to heaven is narrow. Discerning how to have healthy boundaries by not casting our pearls before swine and not losing heart in putting ourselves out there to love again and again is an active and often challenging line to walk.

But there are always ways that we can improve ourselves or give more to others in our attempts to enter through the narrow gate. Jesus challenges us today to make sure we are on the right path. How can we grow more in the love of Christ? What is God calling us to do today or at this very moment?