"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten
companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your
enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives
you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working
out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He
gives his best-the sun to warm and the rain to nourish-to everyone, regardless:
the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you
expect a bonus? Anybody can do that." Matthew 5:43-46 (MSG)
The religious think only about themselves. The ones who are like them are
accepted like heroes. Anyone else is scum. Most of us have encountered some of
them, and somehow, each encounter leaves us deflated.
How different our Heavenly Father is. Last time we discovered that Jesus never
condemned. He loves us genuinely, no matter what we have done in the past. Now
to us, it is quite easy to love the loveable, but it's way easier to hate those
who hurt us. But when we live with such an attitude, we are no better than the
religious.
Jesus, by contrast, loves everyone. He would have died on the cross just for the
Pharisees and Sadducees, his arch enemies.
Now we stand pondering: just how do I love my enemies? Is it worth it? Imagine
reaching out to them to help them. Instead of hating them, we could let them
bring out the best in us, not the worst!
How is that possible?
By letting Jesus live within us through His Holy Spirit: "Because those who are
led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." Romans 8:14 (NIV) These "sons of God"
are the ones who love genuinely. Instead of grumbling at the adversity of our
enemies, they respond with the energies of prayer. This is when we become our
true selves. Our enemies will be amazed that we don't retaliate. Our love will
attract them!
Tomas Borge used to be a leader that opposed the totalitarian regime in
Nicaragua. One day during the revolution, he was captured and found himself in
prison. He was tortured mercilessly for more than 500 hours, experiencing the
worst torture methods that exist in this world!
How would we feel towards our enemies in his shoes?
When he was released after the revolution, Tomas became the Minister of the
Interior. While visiting a jail, he recognized one of his torturers. He went
straight to him and said: "I am going to get my revenge on you." The prisoner
was quite surprised when Tomas held out his hand and said: "This is my revenge,
I forgive you."
Tomas lived with the promise of "When someone gives you a hard time, respond
with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves,
your God-created selves."
Will we, too, follow in the steps of forgiveness?
Hate or genuine love: what is your verdict?
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
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The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.