Love

Do you love only those that love you or do you love those that despise you also?  It is easier to love the one that loves you than to love your enemies; Jesus said this in Matthew 5:43-48, “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”   

In the natural realm we would not love our enemies, we would hate and despise them, but as believers we are commanded to love our enemies and even to pray for them.  I think I remember reading a book about Corrie ten Boom and her family called, “The Hiding Place,” and I also saw the movie.  The way the soldiers treated her, her family and the other prisoners was horrible and Corrie hated them.  I remember in the movie that Corrie’s sister, Betsy, kept telling Corrie to love and not hate, but Corrie had a real struggle with doing that.  In the end, all her family died and she was the only one who was set free from prison which was done through a mistake on the jailer’s part.  But I think that God was there to see that happen so that Corrie could tell her, and her family’s story, around the world, which she was faithful to do.  

At one of Corrie’s talks, she was talking about forgiving your enemies.  When she had finished she went into the audience and talked to some of the people.  While she was talking and greeting the people, shaking hands and all, she spotted a man walking towards her and she froze.  If I remember right, he was one of the prison guards that she hated.  She was in a tough spot, she had just given a message on forgiveness, and the one person that she hated the most was standing in front of her and all the hatred and bitterness rose up inside of her once again.  If I remember right, I think she said a quick prayer asking God to help her to love and take the hate from her, something that at that time was extremely hard, but God did just that and from that time on Corrie was set free of hatred and bitterness, praise the Lord!!

Stories like Corrie’s and other people’s testimonies should bless and encourage every believer because God is not a respecter of men; what He has done for anyone else He can, and may, do for you.  There are so many things people can get angry over, but whatever they are we need to choose to forgive and to pray for the one that offended us.  

If you are having a real struggle in this area maybe this will help; remember the days when you were lost in your sins with no possible hope of redemption and you were an enemy of God?  Your trespasses and sins were innumerable and you were bound for a terrible place called hell where you deserved to go, along we everyone else, do you remember that?  Now remember this, with all your transgressions and sins, God, through Jesus Christ, forgave you when you repented and received Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  So don’t you think the Lord is saying to you to go and do like-wise?  The Lord is our example and we should be obedient to His Word.  Something to think about; God bless and have a super day!!  

PS:  don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord.