“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”
There are lots of folks, no doubt, in need of your love and prayers today. Namely, your enemies. If you are a righteous citizen of the kingdom who is following Jesus Christ your Savior then Jesus said this, “...love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” Jesus said that your enemies need your love and prayers. What do you think about that? How does that make you feel?
You may protest, “Well, I don’t have any enemies!” What about the person who cuts you off in traffic, or the person who tailgates you in traffic, or the person who is going 10 mph too slow when you are in a hurry, or the person who unjustifiably honks at you? (I have a lot of traffic issues). What about the waiter who gets your order wrong?(You may protest, “They are not my enemy!”, but try convincing your face and bad attitude and the10 people you told about the horrible experience because you got chicken enchiladas when you ordered beef) These are just a few (hopefully) humorous hypotheticals, but the point is, people need our love and prayers, not our hate and gossip.
So many of Jesus's teachings are difficult and challenging. They turn our perspective upside down. They run against the flood of negative emotions that can run deep within us when dealing with our enemies. And yet, this is the truth. This is His word. This is His instruction, command, way, and will.
Before you hate, love. Before you retaliate, pray, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21) What greater good is there than love and prayer? Do you want to overcome your enemies? Instead of praying for their annihilation perhaps try praying for a relationship. Instead of dedicating your life in vengeance to end theirs, love their soul to share with them the gospel in hopes that you two may be forgiven and be together in heaven unto eternity. That's a big ask, I know, But that's the message of Jesus here in the Sermon on the Mount.
If you are living as a righteous Christian, your enemies need you. Not in a sense that they need a target, but in a sense that they need you, in your righteousness, approaching the throne of God in prayer on their behalf. That they might come to their senses. That they might see the error of their ways. If they may be turned from evil and unrighteousness to the way of the Lord. "...The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." (James 5:16 NASB1995) It may even turn your foe into your friend.
This is what Jesus did for us. He was our friend when we were His enemy. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” (Romans 5:8-10) Jesus prayed for His persecutors on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) This is the Jesus we follow. And we truly follow Him when we love our enemies and pray for them. May God bless us with the strength, courage, and integrity to do just that.
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