Matthew 5:44 – But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.
We would all agree that loving our enemies does not come easily, nor does it come naturally. This is why Jesus commanded this kind of love from His followers, because loving your enemies is a matter of your will and not primarily of your emotions. Jesus powerfully demonstrated this kind of love upon the cross when He looked up to heaven and said “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” You too will have to look up to the Father in order to love on those who hurt you, for only He can give you the strength to love in this way. Jesus understood that we will have enemies, yet we are to respond to them in love, trusting that God will protect our cause and possibly transform our enemies into our friends. If you have ever lashed out at someone who refused to fight back, you know how small it made you feel. Don’t fight back. Love back. Nothing will disarm your enemy so easily as loving on them.
Challenge:
When the person who bugs you the most comes against you, say to them, “The Lord bless you. The Lord be with you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and give you peace.” Pronounce blessing upon him, do good to him, pray for him. If you pray for your enemies, for the people who bug you the most, you will experience power in your life and an ability to love them that will blow you away. When you pray for your enemies, two things happen, they change and you change. It might take some time, but slowly, you will see a change. If I’m praying every day for the one I can’t stand, something amazing happens. I become involved with him and interested in him. As I pray for him, there is a connection established through prayer. My challenge for you this week, is to take the time to show people that you are sincerely interested in their lives and what they are going through. Ask them more about how they are doing and what is happening in their lives instead of how much they are enjoying the weather. See where and what you can be praying for them. When the opportunity presents itself, ask them “What is the Lord showing you today?” By practicing on caring and loving on others, you will become more capable of loving even your enemies. May God bless your week.