Love Your Enemies

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who abuse you. Luke 6:28

This week I have been giving Brian Gee a difficult time. Brian is an avid Green Bay Packers fan and this afternoon, they face off against my favorite team, the San Francisco 49ers.

I told Brian, “This week you are my enemy!” I even wore my 49er T-shirt this week to give him a hard time!

When you think about it, “love” is an incredibly flexible term used to describe feelings as different as loyalty to your favorite sports team, enjoyment of food, (I love pizza), or affection for another person, (I love my daughter). But the Bible insists that Christian love is a particular sort of love rooted in a deep and absolute commitment to God who made us in his image. When we truly love God, we will also love our neighbors as well, whether they are family, friends, or foes.

Jesus taught. If you only love and do good to and lend to those who will be loving and good and will give back to you what, you have given to them, it will be of no benefit to you (Luke 6:32-34). Instead, “love your enemies, do good and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.”

When we examine the life of Jesus, he often found himself in situations where his enemies rose up against him, mocked, cursed, and ultimately crucified him. Even from the cross Jesus prayed for his enemies saying, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”

Thought For Today: The call to follow Jesus entails a call to love everyone. Even our enemies. This is not easy to do, and thus, we must call upon the Lord to ask for his strength to do that which is difficult for us to do in our own power.

Do you have enemies? What can you do to show them love today?

Today’s Prayer Focus: Take time to pray for those whom you may not have the best of relationships with. Deo Volente. (Go 49’er’s!!)

Note from the editor: Once again, Wintersburg Church does not support nor endorse the sports team fandoms expressed in this article, particularly teams from the Bay Area…