The Love of an Enemy

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies,

do good to those who hate you,

bless those who curse you,

pray for those who abuse you.

To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also,

and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.

Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.

And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” ~ Luke 6:27-36

My heart wanted to cry. It wasn’t a big deal, but I hated being so disliked. After years of anger, now I mostly just felt hurt.

The letter in the mail was filled with good things. Stories, questions, I love you’s. But it wasn’t for me. And I knew if I replied, I wouldn’t hear back. Because the person who wrote the letter wasn’t interested in having anything to do with me, only my husband and son.

It wasn’t all that person’s fault; I knew that. But truthfully, it almost was. The lies weren’t mine. The “misunderstandings” weren’t mine. Or the ignoring, slandering, and wedge-causing. That had never been mine.

My part had been the pride. Participating in the game with a “holier than you” attitude. And taking things way too personally.

But I think my biggest sin was disobeying the command to love my enemies. We’re not commanded to tolerate them or ignore them. We’re commanded to turn our other cheek and love them.

Maybe if I would’ve chosen kindness and forgiveness earlier, the ship wouldn’t have sailed quite so far away. But it has. And while I want to think, “Well I’ve done my part and now the ball’s in her court”, that’s just not true. The command doesn’t expire.

Sometimes I struggle to continue being respectful when I feel unfairly judged… but the Bible graciously provides not only the command, but motives to encourage us to keep it.

1. We will be like our Father if we love both our friends and enemies, bestowing mercy. (Verse 36)

2. We will prove our Sonship to the Most High. (Verse 35)

3. Our reward will be great, if we do it for the Lord. (Verse 35)

4. We will heap coals burning coals on our enemies head by our kindness. (Romans 12:20)

5. We too were loved as enemies. (Romans 5:8)

So I will continue to send the pictures, watch my tongue, help my son build a relationship, speak with kindness… Because I too have been loved as enemy

…So much so that I became a friend.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation…For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17-18, 21