Discipleship Episode 4, Love Your Enemy Part 2

 

²¹ If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, ²² for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you. Proverbs 25:21-22 English Standard Version

               In my previous essay and podcast, I talked about loving your enemies, something I’m not very good at. Oh, I do well in the abstract theological realm; but, when it comes down to the actual nuts and bolts of my daily Christian walk, I’m not so good. This is especially true of the enemies near me. I can “love” those far away. I do not have to deal with them; but, those whose walks intersect mine present a difficult challenge. This week, I’d like to offer three concrete ways we can love our enemies, ways that we might actually put into practice. So let’s plunge in and perhaps together we can walk more closely to the example of Jesus.

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:43-45

               We often zoom through the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5,6,and 7) and claim that somehow Jesus was rewriting the Old Testament. Perhaps we should relook our assumptions that the Old Testament enjoined hatred of your enemies. Jesus says, “You have heard it said…” He does not say, “You have read…” I think in the light of the Proverbs passage, God has always wanted us to love our enemies, and that Jesus was not introducing a new concept, instead He points us back to what was written centuries prior for our guidance. Perhaps a more accurate reading would be that Jesus was pushing back against what the Pharisees and other religious leaders of His day were saying. So given that, how do I as a twenty-first-century Christian love my enemies?

³⁴ And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. Luke 23:34

               On the cross, Jesus displays the first concrete step we can take to love our enemies. We can pray for them. When I approach the throne of God, I should pray for those who’ve hurt me. I may not have it in my heart to seek their good. Sometimes the best that I can do is ask God to help me forgive them. But that is a start. Remember, the Holy Spirit helps us in this matter.

²⁶ Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. Romans 8:26

There are times when I cannot even think of what to say. That’s when the Spirit steps in and makes up for my lack. But if I start trying to pray for my enemies, then I find that with the Spirit’s help my attitude slowly changes and I find it easier to pray for my enemies. But what’s next? What else can I do to love my enemies that are near me? We can be kind to them.

⁴¹ And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Matthew 5:41

               This famous passage from Matthew has entered our English language as the phrase, “going the extra mile.” One way to show love to my enemies is to show them kindness. Today, we do not face the indignity of being forced to carry an invading soldier’s pack, but there are times in which we can show kindness towards those who abuse us. Perhaps we might even let a belligerent driver pull in front of us instead of demanding our right of way. We might even let that loud mouthed coworker get the last word in an argument. What if we did our best to make an aggressive micromanaging boss look good to their superiors? These are only a few of the many daily interactions in which we can love our enemies. We can be polite.

³⁹ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. Matthew 5:39

               Often our daily interactions with the world come with a variety of insults and offenses. I do not need to give a list. In a men’s Bible study that I attend, at times we all grumble about the sorry state of our culture. Evidently the culture in Jesus’ time was not any better. He calls upon us to be polite, to be different, to treat our enemies with kindness. Forbearance is a prime component of kindness. When I show forbearance, I show patience, or I put up with something; essentially, I refrain from demanding something that is my due. When I show kindness to my enemies, when I love them, I let them get away with something. Jesus uses the example of someone slapping me. When I return kindness or politeness for abuse, I’m loving my enemies in a very real and tangible way. We do not have to endure prisoner of war camp level of suffering to love our enemies. Just moving about in our broken and sinful world provides us ample opportunities to love those who mistreat us. So, here are the three things I can do to show love to enemies that are near me:

1.      Pray for them.

2.     Treat them kindly.

3.     Be polite when they are rude.

 

Thought Questions:

1.      When was the last time you sincerely prayed for your enemies?

2.     What does it take for you to label someone your enemy?

3.     Why do you think we accept such coarse behavior these days?

4.     Do you drive in a way that glorifies God and reflects His influence over your life?

5.     How could you be more polite to those that offend you?