“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked “(Luke 6:35).

Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to love God. He quotes from Deuteronomy 6:5 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Jesus then goes on to quote from the royal law found in Leviticus 19:18 “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself.” When Luke writes of this teaching by Jesus, he includes the Parable of the Good Samaritan as an example of how we should treat our neighbor, which seems to indicate anyone in proximity to us without regard for their religion, ethnicity, social status, etc. In other teachings and commandments, we are told to honor our parents and to care for the poor, orphans, widows, and aliens. That pretty much covers everyone except our enemies.

There are two typical reactions to enemies:

1. Confront, or 2. Avoid.

I fall into the latter category. Jesus; however, gives us a different command. He doesn’t tell us to confront or to avoid. And he doesn’t just tell us to be nice to our enemies, although that is implied. Rather, he tells us to love them, to do good to them, to lend without expecting repayment. This is just not humanly possible. This requires a heart change. This is radical!

But this also describes the Father’s love for us. This passage says that Jesus is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Ungrateful and wicked pretty much describes you and me, at least before our salvation. Without the saving grace of Jesus, we are enemies of God. “Whoever is not with me is against me” (Matthew 12:30). “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (James 4:4). What an amazing act of grace for God to seek us when we ignore or reject Him.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

I remember the story of Joseph, a beloved son of Jacob. Because of Jacob’s favoritism, Joseph was hated by his brothers. They were enemies. When they saw Joseph coming, they first thought to kill him, then to abandon him in a pit, but then decided to sell him into slavery where he went to Egypt. Despite the mistreatment, when the tables turned and Joseph had an opportunity to exact his revenge, he instead offered them protection and protection. The brothers were understandably wary because they knew their own wicked hearts. “However, Joseph told them, ‘You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.’ And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them” Genesis 50:20-21).

Joseph was reflecting God’s love, and his reward will surely be great. We can show the same kind of love for our enemies through the power of the Holy Spirit.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans5:8).

In Christ,

Judy

P.S.: If you would like to talk more about any of these devotions or matters that concern you, please stop by my office, or call or text me at 615-804-3453 to arrange a time, and I will be happy to speak with you.