Loving Our Enemies
How do we treat our enemies? In what ways does our treatment of others reflect our knowledge and love of God?
It is easy to love those who love us. It is infinitely more difficult to love those who are opposed to us or who do not have our best interest in mind.
It has been said that the true test of Christianity is not loving Jesus, but loving Judas.
As followers of Jesus we are called to love our enemies and to do good to those who could never reciprocate, or who would not care enough to desire to repay our good will.
In the Sermon on the Mount in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus said, “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.” (Luke 6:35, ESV).
We are called to love our enemies, because this is how God has loved us. God is even kind to the ungrateful and evil people of this world. Even though we fall short of God’s standards and do not always love him, God continues to love us.
When we love our enemies and do good to those around us, expecting nothing in return, God gives us his blessings and provision and calls us his children. When we love and do good, we reflect this love of God for us.
As beloved children of God, may we love our enemies and do good in the world as God loves us and does good for us.
A Collect for the the Third Sunday after Trinity (Proper 9): “Grant us, O Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who can do no good thing apart from you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, 2019).
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