But I Say, Love Your Enemies
The current state of affairs in America, at least from my removed perspective, from a town full of refugees in a Middle Eastern desert, are the perfect conditions to learn how to love deep, even love our enemies. This is not a trite statement, but one that wields all the resurrection power of the Kingdom.
“ For if you love [only] those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that?”
I think our idea of enemies is so much more subjective than His; we call someone who voted opposite us enemy, while for the Word who walked on earth, the true enemy is not even flesh and blood. Can we distinguish between our human understanding of enemy (as in another person) and the cosmic understanding (we wrestle not with flesh and blood but against the powers of darkness)?
What if we decided that our real enemy is not people? What if we no longer take applications for enemies, and instead spent all our energy on desperate prayers on the behalf of broken people? I've begun to understand that someone may think that they are my enemy, or that I am theirs, but for my part I can refuse them that title because every human being is made in the image of God. Enemy love comes when we realize that there is something else behind the offensive actions or attitudes of a person. And it allows the offense that rises within us in response to lay down and die, so that we can truly begin to love. And while yes, we all have a responsibility to turn from sin and not give darkness a foothold in our lives, ultimately its the darkness we need be fighting, not the person. We should start getting really mad at the enemy of our souls so that we quit falling for his lame distraction techniques.
““You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor (fellow man) and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may [show yourselves to] be the children of your Father who is in heaven”
What if "love your enemies" and "pray for the one who persecute you" is all based on the knowledge that the Spirit gives us the sharp eyesight needed to see what belongs to flesh, and what belongs to spirit? Love gives us the ability to see the brokenness of an individual that has become host to darkness, and it also has the power to break through strongholds of sin and bring healing! If we are too busy getting up in arms about our supposed enemy, we may miss what God wants to redeem, and how we are called to participate!
Papa never promised us a trouble-free life; instead He promised us the Kingdom in the midst of the difficulty. That is why our Family grows most in times of persecution and pain. In the end, this life is not about everything being perfect, but about us being perfected in love.
“You, therefore, will be perfect [growing into spiritual maturity both in mind and character, actively integrating godly values into your daily life], as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Family of God in America, will we show ourselves to be the children of our Father in Heaven? Will we allow the trials of the times to perfect us in love?