I may not love God as I should, but I’m determined to get a handle on it. I may not love my family the way I should, but I intend to work at it. I may not love my neighbor as I should—but I’ll keep trying. But love my enemy? Wow. That seems impossible!
Here’s why it’s so difficult. Enemies scheme, backstab, subject you to mental distress, and can even cause you bodily harm. If you could truly love them, they wouldn’t be your enemies anymore, would they? But in Luke 6, Jesus says, “Love your enemies” by doing good to them (Luke 6:27,35). Love is not mere emotion—it’s the decision to do what’s right and good for another person. It means blessing those who are against you, praying for them, and responding to their evil with good. And it means helping them even when they don’t deserve it. The three motivations for this kind of love are:
• “Your reward from heaven will be very great” (Luke 6:35). Jesus doesn’t expand on this statement here, but it’s clearly a promise. If we choose to honor Him by loving our enemies, He will reward us.
• “You will truly be acting as children of the Most High” (Luke 6:35). As children of the Most High, we can say along with the martyrs throughout the ages, “You can’t take my true wealth because it’s stored up in heaven. You can’t take my real life because it’s eternal in Jesus Christ.”
• “You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.” We are called to imitate our Father, who is kind even to the “unthankful and wicked” (Luke 6:35-36).
Let’s choose love over hatred. No occasion justifies evil for evil; no injustice warrants unjust behavior. Instead, we can follow God’s leading by choosing to love our enemies.
More:
God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in His steps (1 Peter 2:21).
Next:
What’s keeping you from loving your enemies? How should you live this out in obedience today?
lindagma on October 11, 2010 at 5:33 am
I can forgive and love MY enemies, it’s those that hurt my loved ones that I struggle to love and forgive, especially when it continues on a regular basis. Like a mother hen, I jump to protect… but then that is God’s job, isn’t it.
cspevacek on October 11, 2010 at 5:38 am
Poh Fang Chia, thank you for todays message. It is one that I really need to remind myself of lately. I work with some not so nice people but God does love us all! I am going to try to think of each person I come in contact with as being placed there by God and so I should always be gracious and forgiving of their actions and comments. Again thank you and may GOD BLESS.
Brianbenyosef on October 11, 2010 at 6:17 am
Wow, GOD just told me this revelation the other day. I believe that if you love your enemy than that person is no longer your enemy. When I pray the only thing I ask for GOD to give me is the virtue of the Holy Spirit. “love, peace, compassion, care, kindness, patience, perserverance, wisdom, and knowledge of his will”. This happens to me quite often. The more I surrender my own will to GOD, the more I understand his will. I receive a heart full of gratitude and love. Thank you Jesus!!!
hello on October 11, 2010 at 9:42 am
Hi, im in the midst. is there someone can reply me?I feel very confused in life now….feeling very imbalance everyday….and feeling lonely in the heart. Is there wrong to be a forgiven person?I need some ppl to answer me especially if you are 35 years old +++ because I need ppl who more experience than me to answer me…
healing46 on October 16, 2010 at 1:51 pm
Hello, i just wanted you to understand what ever you may go threw, if you just belive.in god he can work all things out for you the key is you beliveing in god and no that he is real. and asking him for understanding in your life please talk to god he is always waiting to here from you. & pray as much as possible can god will here you!!!!!!! and i heard you as well & do have a very best day I`m a strong woman of god.
unclegene on October 11, 2010 at 11:10 am
I am having difficulties loving the Muslim terrorists who kill innocent men, women and children for no apparent reason.
cuddles on October 11, 2010 at 3:27 pm
This has always been a difficult one for me, I tend to be of the opinion that God expects us to fight evil and if that means going to war then so be it. I live in a country where a lot of our community was killed by terrorists and those who supported terrorism have now gone into politics and are leading politicians in our government. Those who lost loved ones and I myself find this a hard pill to swallow since, although it could not be proven ,some of these politicians were said to be active themselves. I believe as time goes on I will no longer feel so hostile to them and thats a start is’t it, also I have never wanted anything bad to happen them so maybe there is hope for me.
healing46 on October 16, 2010 at 1:34 pm
Today is very hard for me to understand my life, i am a strong woman of god.and my husband is not doing things he should, be doing as a husband, like paying bills. he work out of town the last past months, he have not sent money home to help out
on the bills he evening seem to have stop going to church, please pray for my husband he need to get back focus on god. everyone please pray for him
healing & faith is a strong belive and i do belive in god
healing46 on October 16, 2010 at 1:38 pm
thank you all for your comment and concern may god bless you all.
Dee731 on December 1, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Love you enemy is very hard to do. For the last 4 years my husband has a friendship with another woman – 2 of those for years I had no clue she excited and that he spoke to her on numerous occasions-their conversations were about some personal things regarding our private life.
This did not go over well with me. This year, I sent her an email apologizing to her for my actions, thoughts and words that I had about her. I was not living a godly life at this point. I was struggling with mental issues (depression).
This woman is still apart of my husband’s life and I have to accept it, because no matter how much I ask or pleaded he wouldn’t give up on this friendship and neither will she.
Loving your enemy is hard but blessing them, praying for them and helping them is not that bad at all.
Still_Learning on January 5, 2011 at 9:59 pm
I was not saved until I was 26 years old. If someone hadn’t taken the time to love me despite my sinful nature I would never have learned of God or salvation. My own children would not have been saved had this one person not submitted themselves to God’s will and shown me the way.
We cannot allow ourselves to judge who is worthy to hear God’s word or to be forgiven. I believe we should be a living example of God’s love and what God has done for us in our lives. Since God has forgiven us shouldn’t we do the same?
After years of holding onto pain and sorrow I can say that letting it go and giving that pain, heartache, and hatred no place in my future through forgiveness left an opening for Gods healing.
I have since been blessed so much by God.
Pray for them. Pray for the people that you are having strong feelings about. Pray that their hearts and minds may be opened to God’s will and let go of your strong feelings so that God can heal your heart and mind and bring you peace.
I will love the sinner because that sinner was me.
I will love the sinner because that sinner was my husband, my daughter, my son, my friend, my co-worker, and many, many more.
God knows the hearts of men and I praise him and thank Him for knowing mine.