Love Your Enemies

"But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." -Jesus in Matthew 5:44

There are some things written in the Bible that I don't particularly care to listen to or follow. That whole love your enemy and pray for them bit is at the top of my list. Jesus must have been high or misquoted on that one. Who does that? Who wants to show love, be kind, and pray for those who have hurt us?

What we really want is to get revenge. We want our enemies and opponents to feel the pain we feel. We know that no good can come from evening the score. The vicious cycle of revenge will just continue. Jesus in His infinite wisdom asks us to end that cycle.

If we wanted to pray for those who have wronged us, we would probably pray that God would strike them with lightning or fire and brimstone served up Old Testament style. Instead, we should pray that God would change their hearts. We should pray that God would give us the strength to forgive. We should pray that God would heal the hurts in their hearts that have caused them to lash out at us and others. 

The Lord Jesus on the cross got a chance to practice what He preached. As he was suffering unimaginable pain inflicted on Him by the Romans, he prayed for them. "Father forgive them..." Jesus doesn't ask us to do anything He hasn't done himself.

Who is your enemy? Is it a boss, an ex, a spouse, a neighbor, a classmate, or a politician? How can you show them kindness? How can you pray for them? Jesus gives us the key to end the cycle and heal the anger and bitterness we harbor in our hearts towards our enemies: Love and Pray. Be blessed.

-Captain Bobby Delgado, HFD Chaplain