Truly *Love* Our Enemies

How does Jesus teach us to respond to violence, abuse, and cruelty as Christians?  Did He pay back evil for evil?  No.

How was He able to behave like this? Can you imagine?

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5: 38-48

How did Jesus deal with His enemies? How did He deal with physical violence, abuse, and His own eventual murder?  Jesus was as merciful as it gets.  Jesus truly loved. He even loved those who murdered Him. May we be blessed of God and taught well so that we will be as strong as Jesus was/is. May we love as Jesus loves. And God will bless us as He has blessed Jesus.

  He was beaten, he was tortured, but he didn’t say a word.
Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered
and like a sheep being sheared,
  he took it all in silence.
Justice miscarried, and he was led off—
and did anyone really know what was happening?

He died without a thought for his own welfare,
beaten bloody for the sins of my people.
They buried him with the wicked,
threw him in a grave with a rich man,
Even though he’d never hurt a soul
or said one word that wasn’t true.

Still, it’s what God had in mind all along,
to crush him with pain.

The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin
so that he’d see life come from it—life, life, and more life.
And God’s plan will deeply prosper through him.

Out of that terrible travail of soul,
he’ll see that it’s worth it and be glad he did it.
Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant,
will make many “righteous ones,”
as he himself carries the burden of their sins.

Therefore I’ll reward him extravagantly—
the best of everything, the highest honors—
Because he looked death in the face and didn’t flinch,
because he embraced the company of the lowest.
He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many,
he took up the cause of all the black sheep.

Isaiah 53: 7 -12 (the message)

Related articles

• April 23, 2013 – enemies (circleofhopedailyprayer2013.wordpress.com)
• May 2, 2013 “Love Your Enemies” (pastormikemcdowell.wordpress.com)
• So what if…? (pragmaticmystery.wordpress.com)
• Forgiveness is Hard (equip.myersparkpres.org)
• Meditation/5-11-13 (togodbetheglorybettysverseoftheday.wordpress.com)
• Matthew 5 (joshuawsutton.wordpress.com)
• Extreme Makeover – Luke 6:27-36 (stevesbiblemeditations.com)
• Love Who War Against Us (markrsumrall.wordpress.com)