Love Your Enemies

Luke 6:27-36 English Standard Version (ESV) 
Love Your Enemies 
27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

This was in my Bible reading for today, and I was reminded how difficult it can be to love my "enemies". I would not say that I have any enemies, persay, but there are definitely those who are more difficult to love because of the way they have treated me or others who I care about. There are also those who, because of my own weakness and immaturity, annoy me. I do not always want to be kind to these people. I would rather ignore and avoid them. It is easy for me to feel good about myself for being kind or gracious when I give to my friends, pay for a meal, or forgive a friend or family member for a slight wrong. But these are easy, and as Jesus says in this passage, "'If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.'" I want to be merciful as my Father is merciful, and kind as He is kind. I want to love those who might never love me in return, simply because that is the kind of love and mercy that God shows us daily.

It is my prayer that through Christ I can grow in generosity, in kindness and in love.

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