Love for Enemies
Matthew 5:43-47
Jesus Speaking
43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons 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. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
We are called to love our enemies as Jesus did. Jesus did not fight back out of anger. The one time Jesus did fight back was to be loyal to God not to Him self and He did it out of love. So many times in our lives we make excuses for hating this person or that organization because they did something to us or to someone we know. But that same person we are hating God delights in and loves. God calls us to love the people we hate. It is easy to hate people, a lot harder to love. If we are called to be like Christ and be loyal to God then we should see people through His eyes.
Today spend time thinking about someone you hate and need to forgive. Then ask God what he thinks of the people that you hate or don't like. Last, do something for that person to show them the same love Jesus shows you.
