JUNE 9,  Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus doesn’t deny that we will have enemies. There will always be people who want to make things difficult for us. They may swear at us, hate us, take advantage of us, and even persecute us for being Christians. Are you experiencing something similar in your life? Maybe there’s a school bully, or even someone in your family who is making things difficult for you. As hard as it may seem, Jesus says to you - love them. Love is not a warm feeling in your heart, or a feel-good emotion towards someone. Love is unconditional, and shows itself in truth and in action. Jesus tells us we should bless them, do good to them, and pray for them. What does this mean?

To bless our enemies is to speak well of them and to be courteous towards them. It’s so difficult to be courteous and friendly to someone who hates you. How easy it is to talk behind their backs and make them seem like great monsters! But to bless them is to speak kindly to them and not let their actions affect you to sin. This shows them the unconditional love of God.

Doing good is where our actions speak louder than words! Instead of being cold and avoiding them, if there be any chance at all to help our enemies we should. The Bible tells us in Romans 12:20 that “if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.” Heaping coals of fire on his head doesn’t mean that we do good to make them feel bad as a form of revenge. Rather, by our good works they may see the sinfulness of their ways, feel the pain and shame over their sins, and cause them to repent. The way to peace is through doing good!

To pray for them is to pray for God’s forgiveness to be upon them. It is to pray for their salvation. We should never wish for our enemies to go to hell, but that they may know Christ and live a transformed life. Will you pray for your enemies’ salvation?

It’s easy to love those who love you. Anyone can do that. But loving your enemies? That’s something that only the children of God can and must do. If God so loved us while we were yet His enemies, do we have any excuse not to love ours?

Thought: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

Prayer: Father in heaven, I pray that the love of Christ will motivate me to bless my enemies, do good to them, and to pray for their salvation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.