Loving Your Enemies
Matthew 5:43-45
What should you do with people that just don’t like you, constantly gives you problems and speak lies about you? What about a person that harbors resentment and is bitter toward you? How about an individual that takes advantage of you or seeks to cause you harm? Anyone can love somebody that threats them with love. Luke 6:32 states, "For if ye love them who love you, what thanks have ye. For sinners also love those who love them." It can be challenging to show love towards someone with a bad attitude, or disagrees with your values and beliefs.
Jesus told the crowd of listeners, during his Sermon on the Mount, that God expected more from them concerning their love walk. “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy; But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matt.5:43-44).
We are instructed to LOVE, BLESS, DO GOOD, and PRAY. This includes the unlovable, rude, obnoxious, unfriendly and ungodly person. So, we should watch our actions, what we say, how we treat them, and intercede for them. When Stephen was being stoned to death in Acts 7:60 “he cried with a loud voice, Lord lay not this sin to their charge.” And Jesus hanging on the cross in Luke 23:34 said “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
Why should we love our enemies? Matt. 5:45a “They ye may be the children of your Father, who is in heaven”. God loves people whether they love him or not (John 3:16). “He makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt. 5:45b). So that you and I might be found to be like our Father in heaven. “Be ye therefore, perfect, even as your Father, who is in heaven, is perfect.” (Matt. 4:48). God expects us to grow up and become mature believers in grace.
The enemy may be a person at work, a neighbor, within your family, and even some church folks. “If your enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink; For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee” (Prov. 25:21-22). We can do this in Jesus' name....