You have heard the law that says, 'Love your
neighbor' and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who
persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father
in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he
sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love
you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much.
If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else?
Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is
perfect. Matthew 5:43-48
Love is powerful. It is easy to love those
you care about—but not so easy to care about, much less love, those who
persecute you. Your enemies. Watch out for your back—but that is just what
Jesus is doing for you. Watching your back…keeping you safe as you live out
your life as a child of God. Personally,
I bask in the sunlight of the love of the Son of God. It is good to know that
God loves us—that He loves everyone…good or evil. It hardly seems fair, but I
don’t make the rules, God does. He chooses whom He loves.
For God said to Moses, "I will show
mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose."
So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for
it. Romans 9:15-16
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| Perfect Rose Duncan Gardens, Spokane, Washington Love your enemy...even with thorns. |
Be perfect. That is a tall order. Everyone
knows that only Jesus is the only one who is perfect. We can try to attain to be
perfect…but in our own efforts, we can never make it. With God all things are
possible. That includes making the right choices. Choices. Only good choices
can result in perfection. That is what love is all about. Caring—making the
right choices even when the person you are caring about is one you consider an
enemy. Being kind to everyone. It gets back to love your neighbor—even if your
neighbor is your “enemy” just as it was taught in the Old and New Testaments.
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Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but
love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:18
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The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No
other commandment is greater than these. Mark 12:31
Love
your enemy! Care about everyone…just as if they were Jesus Himself. It’s a tall
order—but anything is possible with God.
Prayer
~ Jesus, just like that father whose demon possessed son You healed…"What
do you mean, 'If I can'?" You asked. "Anything is possible if a
person believes." The father instantly cried out, "I do believe, but help
me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:23-24. Help my unbelief. All things are
possible—even loving those who persecute Christians.
Remember - Daylight Saving Time starts tomorrow. Set your clocks ahead.
©
2020 Text and photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
Unless
otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation,
copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of
Tyndale House
Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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