Scripture – ““You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Matthew 5:43-48 NIV
Observation – This command from Jesus is clear. In the past people were taught to love their neighbors and hate their enemies. Jesus says to love your enemies and pray for them. He says it isn’t impressive when you love those who love you, everyone does that, even tax collectors.
Application – In the previous passage Jesus teaches us not to retaliate, “if someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also”. Is this how we are supposed to live? When someone hits us, we let them hit us again and if people treat us badly we love them and pray for them??? I understand why people think this is crazy and why others think it is beautiful. It is one thing to read these words on a page early in the morning in your cozy house with your freshly brewed coffee. It is another thing to put into practice when someone is telling you how stupid you are, how you are a bigot and you are following a false religion. When this happens you want God to, as David says, “break the teeth of the wicked”. This is one of the options you have, God says, “do not take revenge my friends but leave room for God’s wrath”. Another option is to follow Jesus’ commands and love them and pray for them. It is also important to “speak the truth in love” and enforce boundaries in your relationships with people that are abusive. You can still love them and care for them but they need to know your expectations for the relationship and when they are in violation there is a consequence. The consequence isn’t you becoming like them but it typically involves a period of distance in your interactions until they can behave like civilized human beings. It also involves you speaking the truth and sharing the Gospel with them. Some times we are called to shake the dust off our feet and move on, other times we are called to hang in there and love them into the kingdom.
Prayer – Jesus, give me and my brothers and sisters discernment to carry out this command in a way that glorifies you and brings others, our enemies, into the light so they can experience forgiveness and restoration and go tell others how much you have done for them and how you have had mercy on them.
What are you doing? Do it better 