Loving Your Enemies

– Doing what is best for others even when they are trying to hurt you –

Jesus asked us to do something very difficult when he told us to love our enemies.  Being kind, gracious, gentle, and caring towards people who want to hurt you is actually a very scary thing to do.  It is scary because when you show love to someone who doesn’t love you it feels like you are going to be hurt and lose parts of what you have or what you are.  The only way you can truly love your enemies (or anyone for that matter) is to be secure in God’s love for you.  If you know that God loves you and will take care of you no matter what, then no one can take away anything from you that you need.  No one can take away the joy, life, or love that God put in you.  No one can take away or ruin what you need (toys, food, clothes, home, or anything else) without God being able to provide something else or something better.

Loving your enemies is a choice.  It is a choice to trust in God’s love and care for you.  It is a choice to obey God’s command even when it doesn’t feel good or easy.  It is a choice to view your enemy as someone who is created in God’s image – and someone who God deeply loves.  It is a choice to hate the sin but love the sinner.  It is a choice to remember God’s grace for you because He loved you when you were still an enemy to him (Romans 5:6-11).  It is a choice to follow in the footsteps of our wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ, and love the way that He loves you.  This is not an easy choice but it is a choice to be more like Christ and this is when you trust God in this way, you will see the most life changing miracles take place!

“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” – Matthew 5:44 (NIV)