Love Your Enemies

Or avoid having enemies?

The title is from Matthew 5:43-48.

A little background on this one. Probably less than a month ago, maybe six weeks, I was in my Men’s Group at church, wandered out for a fresh cup of coffee, and saw the book Wild at Heart on a bookshelf. I sat down and started reading, and that was it for my attendance at Men’s Group that night; the opening chapters read more like an autobiography, mine, than like a book written by John Eldredge, the author. I think I finished the book in two days. I highly recommend Wild at Heart for men, and its sequel, Fathered by God.

As it turns out there is also a podcast by the same name as the book; the episodes are usually less than 40 minutes or so, and I’m playing catch-up as I do sometimes, because I’m on fire for the message, and there have already been recorded something like 350 weekly podcasts. I am greatly enjoying the podcast, which is not the same as saying I agree with everything said. This morning I listened to the podcast “To Love Well,” from 2022 March 14. And, simply stated, some of what was said just struck me as, well, wrong.

The podcast was a conversation, we need more of those, between John, Alex and Allen. Aside from John’s voice I don’t have the others associated in my mind yet with a name, but I just want to revisit a snippet from the opening of the show.

John: ...Covid split churches, and they're not back together by the way...Covid policies split families. What is it with us, that we would say, I would rather destroy this church than yield my position on masks...I would rather destroy my family relationships then yield my position on vaccines...

Another: It feels very unprecedented...because it's in communities that you would have thought believe the same way and have the same values...I've had a couple people who I'm close to...literally chose to leave the state they live in...where all their family is, to go to another state...where they have the hope, that there will be people that will believe the way that they believe.

The italics are my emphasis. When it comes to human nature, one old saying is spot on, “there is nothing new under the sun.” Just using our own history as a nation there are innumerable examples of this same thing going on. Anyone heard of the Pilgrims? They left their country, not just their state, and crossed an ocean under sail, for religious freedom. The War for Independence split communities and families; there were the “loyalists” and “patriots,” or Tories and a group of folks guilty of treason, depending on your point of view. The Civil War divided communities and families. And they killed each the other. Indeed, “there is nothing new under the sun.”

And it can be deduced from Jesus’ words, “love your enemies,” that we will in fact have enemies! Not having enemies is not the point, having enemies and loving them anyway is the point. There are such things as right and wrong, good and evil, and we are expected to pick a side.

In fact, as a Christian, having enemies is unavoidable!

16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;

21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. <this is serious stuff>

22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

Matthew 10:16-17 and 21-23 KJV

And from King Solomon:

21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: <in other words, love your enemy>

22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.

Proverbs 25:21-22 KJV

Keep in mind, I am no theologian, I’m new to this myself, but here is my simplification of all that Solomon and Matthew wrote as quoted above: we will have enemies, we will be hated, and persecuted, as a result we will leave cities, and states perhaps, family will deliver us up, and our children will rise up against us, not to mention friends. And, we are commanded to love them anyway.

The good news from Solomon is, thereby heap<ing> coals of fire upon his their head<s>. Gotta love that Solomon for bringing the plan together. Ha!

The post title in context, Matthew 5:43-48 KJV:

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.