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REFLECTION

Love your enemies is the theme for our reflection. The kind of love Jesus talked about is an unconditional affection for others including our enemies. An enemy is a person who is actively opposed or hostile to you. He or she seeks to injure or harm you. Jesus gives one of the hardest instructions on how we must treat those who oppose us or are hostile to us and seek our downfall or destruction. All over the world, countries and individuals invest so much money into state-of-the-art security and weapons because of actual or perceived enemies. Conversely, Jesus teaches us to “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).

Beloved in the Lord, the core message of the Gospel is love, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16). God’s love through Jesus Christ is overwhelmingly unconditional such that “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) In other words, Christ died for us when we were still enemies of God. “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:10-11). Even on the cross, Jesus demonstrated His unconditional love for his enemies and prayed for them saying “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34). It is for this reason, we have become beneficiaries of God’s love and grace. Beloved in the Lord, having experienced the unconditional love of God, Jesus now instructs us to show everyone including our enemies the unconditional love we first received from God when we were also His enemies and unworthy to be called the children of God. For most of us and according to the logic of the world, it is absurd to love our enemies but again, it makes perfect sense when we remember the words of Paul when he wrote that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:15-16) Beloved in the Lord, let us love everyone including our enemies. Let us forgive them, be good to them, pray for them and treat them with dignity for this is the will of God. May those who also perceive us as enemies, forgive us, be good to us, pray for us and treat us with dignity for it is the will of God. It is important to note that there is an eternal reward for loving your enemies. Jesus assures us that ” your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High…, (Luke 6:35)

What about if you love your enemies but they never change but are still bent on destroying you? Paul gives us a very refreshing and satisfying response when he wrote that “Repay no one evil for evil but give thought to do what is honourable in the sight of all.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:17-21). In other words, let us love our enemies, it is not our responsibility to avenge ourselves against our enemies. Our lives are in God’s hands and “thus says the LORD to you, Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s (2 Chronicles 20:15) Shalom.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, may your perfect example of unconditional love fill our hearts and actions. May we be greatly encouraged and empowered by the Holy Spirit to love our enemies even when it becomes challenging emotionally to do so. Amen.