How to Love Your Enemies
“But I say to you who are listening, love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who are cruel to you.” – Luke 6:27-28
When I read Luke 6:27-28, I asked myself, how can I love my enemies? In my mind, loving my enemies is impossible to do especially when someone has hurt or offended me. The word of God tells me that I am supposed to love those who I consider my enemies. This can be tough for me to do especially when I have been hurt by a person who I thought that cared for and loved me. I have learned it is not easy to do since all people including myself are fallen, sinful individuals. It is easier to desire to hurt the individual that caused me pain since it does not feel good to feel pain.
Christians are lucky when we have to experience hurt and pain due to standing up for our faith. But how do we do good to those who have hurt us? When our real enemies (Ephesians 6:12) attack or persecute us than we must do good to them. Luke 6:28 states what we must do is “pray for those who are cruel to us.” I have learned over the years what seems impossible is possible to do with God’s help and help from the Holy Spirit. It takes God’s intervention since a person’s sinful instincts are to be angry, resentful and to have the desire for revenge.
However, when a Christian loves their enemies, then they are reflecting God’s character of forgiveness, mercy, and patience (Matthew 5:44-45). We can reflect Him by our loving actions of not retaliating but blessing our enemies instead by not repaying evil for evil but with good just as God does. This is the best and godly way to really love our enemies.
Prayer of the day:
Dear heavenly Father,
Help us to be merciful, patient and forgive others. Help us to do it to those who have offended or have hurt us. We need Your help since we cannot do it on our own. We want to reflect Your character in this way because You have done it for us. You are a loving Father who shows Your grace to all. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!
