Love Your Enemies

We all have people we dislike. We all know people who have hurt us. But the question is, have we forgiven them? Do we love them anyway? Today I would like to discuss what the Bible teaches us about loving our enemies.

Matthew 5:43 says,

“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,"

We are called to love the people who hurt us and pray for them. We are not called to hate them, never talk to them, or be harsh towards them. We are supposed to be more like Jesus. We need to ask ourselves in these situations, "What would Jesus do?"

Romans 12:20-21 says,

"To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

We are also called to show love to our enemies. To shower them with kindness. Now, you may be thinking, "Be kind to them? But what about what they have done to me?"

Ephesians 4:32 says,

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

How can we expect God to forgive us in the midst of our sin if we can't even forgive those who have hurt us?

We have to remember what Christ did. He died for us even though we sinned against Him. He showed love to the people who hurt Him.

Proverbs 20:22 says,

"Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
    wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you."

We are not to repay the evil that people do to us. We are to give it to the Lord and let Him handle it. Because He is the only one who can repay evil and deliver us from the wicked.

To close todays devotional, how are we treating our enemies? Are we showing them kindness and love just as Jesus would? Or are we being mean, not showing the example of Christ? Let us all remember what our Savior has done for us, that we may treat the people around us with forgiveness.