“If you only love those who love you—anyone call pull that off. Even ‘sinners’ do that … But love your enemies and do good to them … The return and reward for this kind of loving will be great—not in dollars but in God’s honor. He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil and when you love like God loves, you show yourself to be his beloved children. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” (Paraphrase of Luke 6:32–36)
Heavenly Father, this passage makes me grateful for your daily mercies and for your ongoing provision of “grace upon grace.” For I am the ungrateful, wicked one on whom you have lavished your affection. While I was your enemy, you reconciled me to yourself through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection (Rom. 5:10). Having adopted me as your child—you now love me as much as you love your beloved Son, Jesus. SO, who are my enemies you’re calling me to love?
Forgive me for labeling some people “enemy” simply out of my bruised pride, hurt feelings, and a fragile ego. Help me grow thicker Gospel-skin and a bigger grace-heart. Father, give me curiosity and compassion for all people. Everybody struggles; everybody has hurts; everybody equally needs your grace.
Forgive me for acting like people who voted differently from me are “the enemy.” The same goes for those who don’t cross every theological “t” the way I do and those who don’t dot every issue “i” like me. Different isn’t always evil, bad, or in need of vilifying and demonizing. What can I learn from those who see things—even very important matters differently than I do?
Father, but when it comes to real enemies—those who’ve been conduits of harming and marring in our lives… grant us wisdom, grace, and Gospel-savvy friends. You call us to be foot-washers not doormats, and vengeance belongs to you not us—so help us “stay in our lanes.”
Some “enemies” can only be loved through distance + time + prayer + grace. After all, you didn’t keep and leave us as your enemies; in time you made us your beloved. So Very Amen.
