He tells us to love those who hate us. How many times have we read that in the Bible and just kind of nonchalantly brushed it off. And the devil laughs. Why does he laugh? Because his goal is to stick it to us any way he can. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” (John 10:10) What is the best way for him to hurt us? To make the people who hate us be those who we love the most. Think about it – if it were someone you didn’t know or someone who didn’t mean anything to you, it wouldn’t cut deep if they hated you. But if it were a family member – a brother, sister, mother or father – that hits a bit close to home doesn’t it? The devil makes it personal and he is out for your jugular. And it hurts! Maybe it is a wayward son or daughter? Maybe it is a spouse? Or in-laws? There is no depth ol’ slewfoot will go through to cause you pain. But Jesus. Jesus instructed us in Luke 6:27-36
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
How do you love someone who persecutes you for your faith? Who mocks you? Who gossips about you? Who curses you? Who loves to do whatever they can to cause you emotional pain? Who ostracizes you? Who lies about you? You add in whatever it is – you know best what that is.
What have I found the answer to be? To lean on Him who says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
We cannot love those who hate us with our own strength. We can only do it out of obedience, out of dying to self, out of genuine concern for the spiritual well-being of those that satan uses as a weapon against us. Those we love most. Those who matter most to us. We have to see past the pain they inflict and remind ourselves that “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)
Look below the surface of that person “who hates you” face. Jesus was able to do it because He could see past their face into their hearts. If our Savior was persecuted for His faith and STILL showed love we have to do the same. Don’t react in the predictable way ol’ slewfoot and his dominions expect you to do – meet hate with hate. Meet pain with pain. LOVE them. PRAY for them. BLESS them. It is one of the hardest things we have been called to do – but I think if we remember and realize that that is what God did (and does every day with each of us) we can remember who it is we are to look to as our example. It is only HIS grace, HIS forgiveness, His mercy and HIS love that has made the difference in our own lives. He only calls us to do what He himself did.
He didn’t say it would be easy. There are times when I have to bite my tongue to give out a justified resort to those who willfully cause me pain or are purposely nasty to me. Oh how I would love to curse them – to repay tit for tat. But then the Holy Spirit which resides within me says – “Love them.”
“But Lord – they purposely HURT me.”
“Love them. When Peter asked me, “Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I have to forgive him? Seven times?” “I tell you, not just seven times but 77 times.” Would I not tell you the same?”
Let us look at our own lives and ask ourselves when we struggle with this – how many times over the course of our lives has Jesus forgiven us for things we do/have done? And His mercies are new within us every day.
“Lord it HURTS.”
“I know. You know that I know.”
“It’s hard at the time to act in love when I’m hurting. When they hurt me.”
“Give the hurt to me. Trust in Me because I have called you to a higher purpose. Look beyond the pain and focus instead on Me. The battle is MINE. You are my vessel. You are my representative. You are mine. Holy Spirit will remind you that I am in control, you only need to walk in obedience to Me.”
“Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Luke 6:28
We are living in a time where the love of many has waxed cold. We must stand firm and not allow our emotions and our flesh to respond to the battle around us. That is what the enemy would expect and that is what he wants. He didn’t say it would be easy – and oh some time the pain is intense, especially when it comes at us like fist jabs and it’s all we can do to stand in Him. BUT sometimes the Father allows us to see the blessings that follow our faithfulness in forgiving. When someone hates you or acts in a hateful way they are waiting to see you respond in like manner. Bless them. Do not curse them. Love them and see what Holy Spirit does when you act in love as our Savior did. The light of Christ will radiate from you, and even if they don’t know what it is – they will be stymied by the difference in you. Holy Spirit can and will convict. But the results are not one that you should look to see – but trust in God that as you are being faithful in showing the love of Christ, He is faithful in turning hearts towards Him. Convicting, changing, guiding. This is where intercession for those individuals come in. PRAY FOR THEM and then entrust them to God. THAT is what He has called us to do. Walk in love and trust in Him. The rest is up to God.
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus. “(Hebrews 12:2) The hymn below was first published in Glad Songs, by the British National Sunday School Union Music by Helen H. Lemmel in 1922
“O soul are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace
Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there
Over us sin no more hath dominion
For more than conquerors we are
And turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace
His word shall not fail you, He promised
Believe Him and all will be well
Then go to a world that is dying
His perfect salvation to tell
And turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace”
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