Love Your Enemies

October 7

Jeremiah 5-6

Psalm 110

Proverbs 24:17-18

I Timothy 5

Love Your Enemies

“When your enemy falls, do not be glad, and when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice.  Lest Yahweh see it and it be evil in His eyes and turn His anger away from him.”   Proverbs 24:17-18 LSB

The Bible presents a very different approach to enemies than the world.  Throughout the pages of Scripture we find repeated instructions to trust God and let Him take care of our enemies.  God promised the children of Israel that if they trusted Him, He would protect and defend them (Exodus 14:14, 23:22, Deuteronomy 20:1, Psalm 34:7-10, 37:1-40, 138:7, Isaiah 54:17). In his wisdom, Solomon understood that malice and anger toward our enemies does not produce the satisfaction we desire.  Vengeance does not bring peace or restore to us what was lost, it eats away at the soul and leaves us bitter and resentful  (Proverbs 16:7, 20:22, 24:29, 25:21-22).  Not only does he encourage us not to repay our enemies for the evil they have done to us, but he says we should not rejoice in their misfortune and when they are hungry, we should give them something to eat.  We should treat them with kindness and generosity. 

Jesus went even further in His teachings.  In the Sermon on the Mount recorded in Luke 6:27-36 and Matthew 5:38-48, He says that we should love our enemies, do good to them, pray for them, and bless them.  Not only should we not hate our enemies, but we should also love them.  Really?  Love them?  How do we do that?  How do we love someone who treats us terribly, hurts us and causes us or those we love pain?  The only way this is possible is through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  This is not something we can do on our own strength and will.  The first thing we should do is pray, asking God to help us release the offense to Him.  Trust that He will deal with it in the best way.  Then ask Him to help you forgive them.  Forgiveness is tough.  We don’t forgive because they deserve it (they usually don’t).  We don’t forgive because they ask us to forgive them (that rarely happens).  We forgive because we have been forgiven much by our heavenly Father (Colossians 3:13, Matthew 6:12-15, 18:21-22,  Ephesians 4:32).  And then we begin to pray for them.  I’m not talking about the kind of prayer where we ask God to hurt them or to give them what they deserve.  I’m talking about praying FOR them, for their good, for blessings on their lives, for peace and for reconciliation.  At first it might feel insincere but in time God will replace the bad feelings you have for them with love.  It won’t happen overnight, but if you are consistent, it will happen.  You cannot hate someone you are praying for.  Prayer changes our perspective and helps us see them as God sees them.  God will bless you for your willingness to be obedient to Him, and you will not be filled with bitterness and resentment that can eat away at your heart.