Enemies...Haters. "But I Say to You Who Listen: Love Your Enemies"

"But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If anyone hits you on the cheek, offer the other also. And if anyone takes away your coat, don’t hold back your shirt either. Give to everyone who asks you, and from one who takes your things, don’t ask for them back. Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them. ~ Luke 6:27-32

 

Excuse me but did I read that correctly?

LOVE MY ENEMIES? Or as I like to call them HATERS! Surely Jesus does not want me to love the very people who have hurt me, talked behind my back, and broken my heart. Why would I love someone who doesn't love me or even like me? That is absolutely absurd and crazy. Not to mention, to give to the very people who have taken and stole from me? That just doesn't make sense! Christ is telling me to love and give to these haters who I rather not even acknowledge. See I don't know about you but when someone is rude or mean to me then I am ready to write him or her off completely. I won't be mean to them but I will just ignore them and pay them no attention at all.

But as I continue to read on, I had to ask myself personally, is what I am doing loving my enemies? 

 

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. If you do what is 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 to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to be repaid in full.  But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. ~ Luke 6:33-34

 

It is so easy to write others off, and I personally tried to justify my action because it wasn’t like I was being mean right back to them. I didn’t say any harmful words to them, I didn’t talk behind their back, nor did I retaliate. However, I did not give to them, I did not pray for them, and I did not love them either. You see when we try to ignore our haters we are refusing to take notice of or acknowledge them. We are disregarding them intentionally. Now what if Jesus intentionally ignored us every time we hurt him? Jesus doesn’t tell us to ignore our haters but to love them. Now that doesn’t mean accepting what they did as right but what it does mean is loving them in spite of their failures and shortcomings (which we ALL have). 

 

If you don’t know what love is you should go read 1 Corinthians 13, which means we are to be kind to our enemies, patience with our enemies, and considerate of our enemies. We are to not BOAST in front of our enemies nor count the cost of their wrongdoings. I don’t about you but loving my enemies and haters seems very hard. I know I always want my haters to see me doing good so they know they are not stopping me from doing what I am doing. Buthaving that kind of attitude is not loving them. Not only am I causing hurt to myself because my heart is in the wrong place, but it is still going to keep the haters hating and probably more hurt by my actions.

 

You see that is why Jesus said “what credit is that to you?” In other words, what good does it do you if you choose not to love the ones who don’t love you and only love the ones who love and praise you back? It doesn’t do you any good because you are just like your haters who only love the people who love them. Jesus calls you to be better than that, he is calling us to love others the way he loves others. He is calling us not to love like the world loves but to rise above what the world deems as love. 

 

Can you imagine the affect you would have on that person who has wrong you? Imagine if you choose to love on themby saying “Hi” to them daily, or bringing them coffee in the morning like you do your other friends. Imagine if you invited them to come hangout with the rest of your friends even if you know they’ve talked behind your back before. Or imagine if you took just a baby step and said a kind word to them. 

 

“A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath.” ~ Proverbs 15:1

 

You see when we choose to love and be kind to those who hurt us, it turns away their anger versus us choosing to ignore or be mean towards them, which will only matters worst and make them angry all over again. I know this concept isn’t easy but it was never meant to be easy. Jesus knows this probably hard for us now, just like it was hard for the disciples when he asking them to love their enemies thousands of years ago. But remember God’s primary will for our lives is for our character to be more and more like Jesus. We are called to love one another as Jesus has so loved us (John 13:34). We can do this ladies and gentlemen. Heaven is for all believers, including our “haters” so lets’ stop looking at them as our haters and more like our brothers and sisters in Christ who we want to see in Heaven someday. I love you all but Jesus loves you more!!!! ~Darian

About the Author: Darian is just a college girl who is crazy in love with Jesus, and can't wait to share with others all about him. Darian has a mission mindset, a shepherd’s heart and a spirit for worship. She enjoys beautifying the world around her, learning new things, and is always ready to take on a new adventure.You can always find Darian embracing and pursuing her joyous and abundant life in Christ. Visit Darian and her blog “Beautiful Feet” at darianwhite.com.