“She hit me first!” If someone hits you, does that give you the right to hit back? It is hard to be nice to someone who isn’t very nice to you. Yet God wants you to be different from those who think that it is okay to hate your enemy.
You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Matthew 5:43-45
What? How could Jesus command you to love your enemies? Doesn’t he know that they can be mean and hurtful? If they do something nasty first, why isn’t it okay to do something back to them? Who thinks like that? The sinful world does. The sinful nature loves to take revenge and get even with others. But you aren’t a part of the world anymore. Through your baptism, the Holy Spirit separated you from the world. God loved you by sending his Son to free you from sin and showed amazing kindness by loving you when you were unlovable. God shows kindness to those who hate him and asks that you show love to those who hate you. Why should you? Loving your enemies is a powerful way to show that sin doesn’t rule your heart—Jesus does.
Excerpt from 5-Minute Bible Studies: For Families