This week’s devotions are based on Week 4 of Tough Love: Love Your Enemies (LISTEN HERE)
Jesus said, “27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
Jesus’ words make us think. Jesus’ words challenge us to be different. Jesus’ directs us to do something that is not natural and counters how many in the world would choose to interact with those who hate or mistreat them.
Let’s consider this from another angle.
Jesus’ words also challenge us not to create enemies.
What do I mean?
Sometimes we can create an enemy out of someone who is really not our enemy.
How?
Someone says something to us and we take it out of context or put the worst construction on it. The result? I think they hate me.
Someone with whom you are serving on a ministry team offers help or direction and you construe it as micromanaging or dismissive of your input.
The result? I’m in conflict with them…i.e. My enemy.
Someone doesn’t say “Hi” or seems to ignore you and you interpret it as an intentional snub.
The result? Curse them.
All of a sudden in the context of a Sunday morning, I have potential to create three enemies because I have chosen to view their actions or hear their words in a way that I feel wronged.
The feeling is real. The reality may be much different.
Part of Jesus’ direction is to not create enemies, but rather extend love and grace to the people around us to avoid making up a perceived enemy out of someone who isn’t.
In these situations, I can feel justified in creating a story that this person meant to say something mean, is punitive of my abilities, or too busy to even say “Hi.”
The fact is, if I would simply have a conversation with this individual or individuals, I could avoid even the temptation to make this person my enemy and cause a rift in our relationship.
Because when I apply love and grace here’s what happens.
I don’t have an enemy because I realize the words spoken were missing the context and not directed at me. I don’t have someone who hates me, but rather values my skills and simply was offering theirs to make the project better and more impactful. I don’t have someone who mistreated me because that person was rushing to greet a visitor, not snub a friend.
Part of loving our enemies is not to make someone our enemy.
Part of doing good to those who hate you is to not make up a story of hatred.
Part of blessing those who curse you is to not misinterpret their words or actions.
Keep a friend by practicing love, grace and forgiveness.
Avoid creating an enemy by breaking the eighth commandment (You shall not bear false testimony against your neighbor.)
When love, blessing, goodness and prayer are just the norm in your life, notice that the number of enemies you have diminishes and the new ones you create are zero!
Apply: Have you created an enemy in your mind and later found out it was your misperception that led to your sinful nature making the person your enemy? How might you use Jesus’ words to avoid “creating enemies” in the future and avoid sinning against a person.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for your love and grace that always takes our words and actions in the kindest possible way. Thank you for showing me how to forgive so I don’t create enemies where there are none. Forgive me for the times I have. AMEN.