Is It Really Possible to Love an Enemy?

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 children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.”

One of the hardest things to do is love an enemy.  To even show kindness is challenging, but to truly love an enemy seems at times impossible.  But that is the command we have received from God.  Our challenge during our time on Earth is to learn how to love those who we think are unloveable.  How do we love?  Through our actions.  We give of our time, we serve, and we are careful not to damage others through our words.  Our nation is suffering right now – the divides between races, classes, and socioeconomic groups are ripping our civilization apart.  In the wake of the grand jury verdict in the Michael Brown shooting, it may seem like politicians, law enforcement, and even the court system as a whole is our enemy.  Our responsibility as Christians, though, is to figure out how to love our perceived enemies even when we don’t understand why they do what they do.

Today as you pray and meditate on His Word, ask God to take from you any ill will or other barrier in your heart that might be preventing you from loving your enemies.  Pray for understanding and wisdom and ask God to give you a heart that is willing to love even the unloveable.  Thank God for loving you unconditionally and for giving us the power to love, for it can truly change the world and bring the kingdom of heaven to Earth.