“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
Luke 6: 27-28
Conflict will happen at some point in any human interaction. If you exist in a community, it is only a matter of time before someone offends you, abuses you, mistreats you, curses you or hates you. The world says, “An eye for an eye,” but Jesus commands that when confronted by these enemies of the soul, love is the appropriate response.
However, if you have ever been wounded by anyone, you know that this is a challenging command. How can we love someone who has wounded us? How can we love them when there is no acknowledgement of wrongdoing and no remorse? Despite our struggle to understand this command, Jesus is so serious about it that he repeats it. He issues this command first, in his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5: 43-44) and then again in his Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6: 27-28). This means, there is no way around it, we really are called to love our enemies.
It might help us to understand that loving our enemies does not mean having affection for them. It certainly does not mean sending them a Valentine’s Day card, a bouquet of flowers or a box of chocolates. It does not mean reconciling with them. As Jesus instructs, it means:
**Blessing them: Speak well of them and speak well to them.
**Do good to them: Find ways to do good to them, perhaps by helping them with a task at work or wherever else you run into them. Be the good Samaritan.
**Pray for them: Pray for the transformation of their hearts. As Martin Luther King once said: “We overcome evil by doing good. Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” Jesus did this with Saul, and he did it with us.
As you read this devotion today are you listening to your Savior’s voice? Through his Word he continues to ask each one of us, “Who is your enemy?” Think about that question for a moment. Who has offended you, mistreated you, abused you, cursed you or hated you? Who has it out for you? Now go out and love them as Jesus has loved you.