Matthew 5:43-47
“You’re familiar with the old
written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your
enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let
them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a
hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are
working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what
God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to
everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you
do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If
you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any
run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
A friend recently shared with
me that someone was spreading untruths about her. These were intended
to smear her character and sully her reputation. And I am sure that
people who don’t truly know this person might actually be taken in by
such lies. My friend related how she was so angry...how her “gut
reaction” was to conjure up thoughts of retaliation. I get that...I
really do. I told her that I have a tendency to launch right into name
calling – if only in the secrecy of my own home!
In her book, The Best Yes*,
author Lysa TerKeurst shares an incident where she was so angry with
her husband that “...I may or may not have called him a name, one that
you can actually find in the Bible that starts with an A and ends in an
S. Three letters. Only I didn’t mean it in the biblical sense. If you
know what I mean.”
Haven’t we all been there? And honestly,
didn’t this feeling drain you of a lot of energy? My friend said that
when she opened her e-mail messages, she found one of my devotionals
that spoke of forgiveness and mercy, and she was challenged to channel
her “angry energy” in a different direction. That’s a big challenge!
And I’ll admit...there are moments when I am right there with you - and
Lysa TerKeurst - and a whole lot of other people!
Here’s the
thing. Satan is the only winner in this. Your efforts to operate in
forgiveness and mercy do not breed more lies and abuses or mistreatment
from others...although it may seem that this is the case. You are not
giving these people license to run unchecked over you and others.
Instead, you are saying, “With God, all things are possible...including
this.” You are declaring (if only to yourself) that God has instilled
in you the power and courage to be your best self...to reflect Him at
all times and in all ways. You are demonstrating your faith and
honoring your Christian discipleship.
Is this easy? No
way...especially not at first. There will be times when we are so
beaten down by a circumstance or another human being that we feel like
there is no love left in us. There have even been a couple of times in
my life where I was so completely drained and devastated that I couldn’t
even pray for a while...I didn’t know what to say or how to even
begin. So you know what I did? I just sat and opened my heart to God
and let Him fill me. And that is exactly what He did!
When you
are at a point where you don’t know what to do...where to turn...how to
even begin to call on God for help...stop and simply say, “Come, Lord
Jesus!” Let Him handle the details. Allow the balm of His healing
touch to wash over you and fill the nooks and crannies...and remove all
traces of animosity, anger, hatred, and frustration. When you begin to
get your bearings again, start to pray for the person(s) or situation
that has you so unsettled. It is very hard to operate in anything but
love for something or someone for whom you are praying!
Today, my
challenge for each of us is to pick out one “enemy”...one person or
situation toward which we have animosity, unsettled feelings, anger,
and/or a desire for revenge or retaliation – or maybe just a tiny bit of
ill will. Maybe you have at least had the thought that “I’d like for
him/her to suffer just a little for this.” Now...start to pray. Ask God
to fill you with love and mercy...compassion, kindness and forgiveness.
Call on God to channel your energy in a positive direction and to
enable you to rise above these feelings...to make you the honorable
representative of Jesus that He has called you to be.
We in no
way excuse others’ sins...or condone their abusive and dishonest
behaviors or their mistreatment of us – or anyone else. But let’s take
ourselves out of the equation. Let’s “let go and let God” when we begin
to pray over these circumstances and to allow Him to handle things. And
in doing this, we will open ourselves to God’s best...for all parties.
Won’t you whisper, “Come, Lord Jesus”? How – and where – will you
allow Him to give you His best today?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*The Best Yes
- ©2014 by TerKeurst Foundation – published by Nelson Books. Available
at Walmart and other major retailers. www.thebestyes.com #TheBestYes
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