Love Your Enemies

“Do not say, ‘I’ll pay you back for this wrong!’ Wait for the Lord, and He will avenge you.” Proverbs 20:22

There is one thing that has been true of every human being who has lived long enough on this earth and that is everyone makes enemies. If you have convictions that you believe in, and the courage to stand up for them, you are going to make enemies. If you are willing to take a stand for Jesus Christ, you are going to make enemies. If you are willing to tell the truth – even in love – you are going to make enemies. The question is not, “Do we make enemies?” The question is, “How are we going to respond to our enemies?”

The Bible gives two pieces of advice on how to handle people that don’t like you, oppose you, harm you, or want to do you wrong. First, never go down to their level. There are countless people whose lives have been ruined, not by what has been done to them, but by how they have responded to it. There are people whose entire lives are built around how they can pay back someone who has done something wrong to them. This is not only an exercise in futility; it is unbiblical. Retribution and revenge can never heal your wounds. In fact, seeking to repay a wrong with another wrong only does more harm. Unforgiveness and anger lead to bitterness; and once bitterness takes root you will be miserable. There is only One who has the right to pay anyone back for a wrong; and God is the only One who knows how to pay back a wrong in the right way.

So how should we respond to our enemies? Proverbs 25:21-22 says, “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.” Back in Bible days, homes were heated and meals were prepared on little stoves that would look like an outside barbecue grill. When the poor ran out of coals for the fire, they would put empty containers on their heads and pass under the windows of wealthier people, who would drop extra coals into the containers. At the end of the journey, the poor man would arrive back home with a pile of burning coals on his head for his fire. It was an act of kindness and generosity.

We must teach our children to fill their enemies with forgiveness and kindness. Often times, this will turn enemies into friends. And when it doesn’t, it displays the character of God, who loved us and sent His Son to die for us while we were His enemies.

Dear Lord, loving our enemies is one of the hardest things about being one of your followers, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try. Please help me to model obedience to the command well for my children so that they may learn to obey you as well. In Jesus' name, amen.