Tag: Matthew 5:43-48
Love your enemies!
Scripture reading for January 7: Matthew 5
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of the Father Who is in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You, therefore, must be perfect, as your Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:43-48
The current world-view in Jesus’ day was not much different than now: “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But Jesus taught a radically different way of living and loving. We are to love our enemies, do them good, and pray for them. This kind of love is how our heavenly Father loves us and all who hate Him. Jesus told how His Father gave rain on the land of the just as well as the unjust. Mercy triumphs over judgment and His goodness leads to repentance. By being like our Father, we may win over those who are centered on the world’s way of doing business. Our good deeds of love towards enemies may break through the hatred and reveal Jesus’ love in us.
This passage is part of Jesus’ ‘Sermon on the Mount’ where He teaches His disciples the blessed life of those in God’s kingdom. I struggled to change my thinking towards those who opposed me. The ways of our secular culture are deeply embedded in my thinking and behavior. Jesus Christ revealed to me His Father’s heart to reach all enemies and rebels. I am still wrestling with how to walk this out daily.
What view of dealing with your enemies do you hold today? How does this mesh with what Jesus revealed to His disciples? What one thing can you do today to show love to someone who you view as your enemy? Does this kind of thinking offend your sense of justice or fairness?
Prayer: Father, forgive me for my lack of love for those who I consider my enemies. Help me to love them as You do. Show me how to pray for them and act in their best interest. Amen.
Sunday rest and reflection: loving enemies
Dear Friends,
Greetings on this day of rest! One of the things that we as Christians can rest from is getting even! The competitive spirit that is in our flesh is always looking for ways to get even or make someone who hurts us suffer. The old saying “I don’t get mad, I get even!” has caused lots of trouble over the years. In this time of turmoil in our nation, followers of Christ Jesus must apply these truths daily and pray for our nation and its leaders to apply them as well.
As I read through the Proverbs, I noticed several scriptures dealing with this ancient problem of getting even. Proverbs 24:29 warns us not to say “I’ll do to him as he has done to me; I’ll pay that man back for what he did.” All vengeance belongs to God alone. Only He knows the heart of a person well enough to properly reward or punish that person for their wrong actions. God desires to forgive and heal the wrongs rather than judge anyone.
Proverbs 26:21-22 is another difficult scripture for us to understand and apply sometimes. It tells us to act in kindness toward our enemies and try to meet their needs. If they are hungry we are to feed them and if they are thirsty we are to give them something to drink. Our acts of kindness is likened to heaping burning coals on our enemy’s head. This purposeful act of love will bring the notice of God and He will reward us. It will also possibly produce a repentance and healing with our enemy whereas if we got even, we would only prolong the battle and bad attitudes would continue.
Jesus Christ perfectly exhibited this healthy attitude toward those who hated him. He purposely forgave them and asked God to forgive them. He taught His disciples to love their enemies and do good to those who would despitefully use them. (Matthew 5:43-48) Some of His final words were “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” (Matthew 23:34) These words exemplify the teaching of Jesus Christ and the love of the Father for those caught in sin and bondage!
May we be filled with the same love today for those who hate us and would despitefully use us! Take time and ask God to fill you again with His love for the lost and for our enemies! In His Love, Pastor John