Do I really have to love THAT person?


Do you have a person that, when you think of them, nothing good comes to mind? Who, when you are around them, you can't wait to get away from them? Maybe they are an unbeliever who displays a hatred for the things of God and an unbelievable love for themselves. Or, maybe they are a believer with whom you are supposed to share a common bond with...a unity in Christ that supersedes differences, but it doesn't seem to ever work that way.

The Bible has a word for these type of people in our lives...they are called "enemies". If you read the OT...especially the Psalms...you might like calling them enemies as it seems, so often, David and other Psalmist had no problem asking for the Lord to destroy their enemies :) But we see a new picture in the New Testament when it comes to our enemies...a course of action set up by Jesus Himself! He makes us address our hearts!

Jesus says in Matthew 5:43-48:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Do you know how hard it is to pray for those that you don't like? Seriously...try right now!...I say that because it is a HUGE wrestling in my own heart. Words don't even come to mind when I try to pray for them. It is truly something I can only do in the strength of the Lord. And then Paul takes it a step farther in Romans 12:14 when he says:

"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse."


I share what I share with you not on a pedestal looking down on you...but as one in the trenches fighting to take my thoughts captive to obey and trust God and His Word and yet wanting to feel justified in feeling the way I do. Wanting to feel that it is okay to strongly dislike someone...to count them an enemy more than I would ever call them a friend.

But if I truly want to follow Christ in every way (and I do!) and if I truly desire to love others with HIS love than I must remember that Jesus laid down His very LIFE for me when I was His enemy...when I HATED Him!

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8



How dare I cling to God's grace and bask in His forgiveness and love and turn around and not do the same for others. And yet, that is exactly what I do so often. And even as I sit here typing my flesh is crying out..."You Can't Do It!!!"

So I find myself again, this morning, exactly where my Heavenly Father wants me... completely dependent on Him...recognizing that "apart from Him I can do nothing" (John 15:5).

And I am left with the beautiful reminder that YES, I really do have to love THAT person...because I, too, was THAT person and Christ loved me and gave Himself up for me!

Comments

For His Glory said…
ooooh good stuff girl! It's like this song that talks about, "Where You go I go and what You say I say and what You pray I pray." Speaking about Jesus and how we need to go where He goes, say what He says, and pray what He prayed.
Matt5verse6 said…
Were you a fly on the wall yesterday at Crystal's house? Are you sure you are not here? You just BLASTED me HUGE with a healthy (yet undesirable), HEAPING helping of conviction!!!! Huh, and to think just moments ago my flesh had me totally convinced otherwise. Ho hum! Back to square one. Darn that conviction!!! UH!!!

...And I'm sure Crystal is getting a good laugh right about now while reading this comment. :)
That is pretty funny, Brook! I guess the truth is we all struggle with this to one degree or another, huh?!!!
And Wendy...who sings the song you were writing about?
Juli said…
To Brook I have to say Kristin couldn't have been a fly on the wall at Crystal's house because she was busy being a fly on the wall at the library where I work ;)

Thanks for speaking the truth Kristin and reminding me that there is someone I definitely need to pray for.

Juli