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, so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same?
Matthew 5:43-47 HCSB
God calls on us to do the really hard stuff. Today’s Scripture passage is a prime example of this. It’s so easy for us to love people who treat us well. It’s not so easy to love people who don’t treat us well or even mistreat us.
Jesus tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. He tells us anyone can love those who love them back, but it takes the strength of Christ to love those who are unpleasant or just downright mean. Don’t try this on your own, you need Jesus’ help for this.
When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, He responded, “Love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind.” He went on to say the second was like it in that we are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39).
I have tried to love someone that has come against me and against those I love. I have tried to fight through my bitterness and my anger and love them. But then Jesus showed me I had to remove the bitterness and the anger (Ephesians 4:31). I wasn’t strong enough to do this, I had to call on Him to remove it for me.
We are told in Ephesians 5:1 we must be imitators of Christ. So, let’s put all of this in perspective. When we sin, we are an enemy to God (James 4:4).
If sin makes us God’s enemy and we know we all sin (Romans 3:23). What hope do we have? Well, I’m glad you asked. This question is answered for us in Romans 5:10, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life.”
If we back up to Romans 5:8 it says, “But God proves His own love for us in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us.” Now that’s loving your enemy in action. God doesn’t just tell us to do this, He does it for us.
As sinners, we were God’s enemy. Had he turned His back on us, we would have had no hope. But He loved us while we were His enemy. He not only loved us, but He proved that love by sending His Son to die for us. He showed us how to love the unlovable. Even when we mistreated Him by sinning and rebelling against His commands, He showed His great love for us.
Maybe you have someone in your life who is mistreating you or has mistreated you in the past. Maybe you just don’t see any way you can love them. I get it, I’ve been there many times myself. But the more I’ve studied God’s word and the more I’ve communicated with Him through prayer, the more I have come to understand that love is my job and judgment is God’s job.
There have been people in my life that have been so toxic, I have tried to share God’s word with them, but they have rejected it. These I love and pray for from a safe distance.
The next time you find yourself facing an enemy and feeling as though it’s impossible to love them, remember God’s love for you. Think of all the times your sin broke His heart. Think of all the times you rebelled against His word. Thank Him for loving you in spite of this. Thank Him for providing a way of salvation. Ask Him to help you by removing any bitterness and anger from your heart.
Show your appreciation by loving those who are unlovable. Pray for their salvation. Trust God to do the rest.
All we have to do is love them and pray for them. The rest is up to them to accept or deny Christ. If they accept Christ, they become your brother or sister in Christ. If they deny Him, they will have to answer to Him.
Have a great day!