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(Luke 6:27) "But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."
In this series, we're delving deeper into the teachings that Jesus left us to follow. The fourteenth commandment leads us to our next focus: LOVE YOUR ENEMIES.
But ... who is my 'enemy'? Scripture teaches that your 'enemy' can be understood through several passages. They might be someone who opposes, harms, or even hates you, persecutes or even curses you. Whatever is happening to us, Jesus calls us not to fight back with their weapons, but to embrace His higher love and use it to love those who are our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:43-44, Luke 6:27-28). Paul echoes this by encouraging acts of kindness, such as feeding your enemy if they're hungry (Romans 12:20), aligning with Proverbs 25:21. These teachings emphasise a radical love and compassion that transcend enmity.
"When my fledgling business first started, we were still renting, and I had been saving money so my wife and kids could buy our own home. The company was growing rapidly, and I was overwhelmed handling everything alone at work, especially as web-related tasks increased and I didn't understand them at the time, so I reached out to a friend who was web-savvy. Things were going really well for a while. He had just gotten married and was trying to secure a mortgage. He mentioned that he was under pressure from the bank because his deposit funds had been delayed, and asked if I could lend him enough for the deposit until his money arrived.
NB - My wife wasn't in agreement with giving him all our savings, but I felt compelled somehow... BIG MISTAKE! He deceived us, and there was no money. We lost everything!
Listening to my wife crying was worse than the thought of losing all our hard-earned money...! I was so angry that it took me 3 weeks before I would even 'consider' hearing the Lord.
Jesus: "You have to forgive him."
Me: "No! I will not."
Jesus: "Don't you realise the damage this will cause you?"
Me: "I don't care! He had NOTHING before I helped him! And this is how he repays me! I hate him...!"
Then, one night, I had a dream where this man was being carried off by demons to be thrown into hell...! Instead of being glad, I saw myself running to help him break free. When I awoke, the Lord said, "... now that wasn't so hard, was it?"
We didn't get our money back, but my heart was soft again, and the Lord continued to bless our business.
In the heart's gentle garden, love's seed is sown,
To embrace those once unknown.
Where emotions lead and mercy flows,
Bridges form where understanding grows.
Beneath the layers, feelings abide,
Yet love's call draws us side by side.
Through tender acts and grace's embrace,
We discover unity, a sacred space.
In love's warm light, foes find peace,
Renewed by the heart's release.
A world transformed by divine art,
In love's grace, we find our part.
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Let's pray, "Heavenly Father, grant me the strength to love those who oppose me. Fill my heart with compassion and understanding, so I may see them through Your eyes. Help me to release anger and embrace forgiveness - just as You did with me. Guide my words and actions to reflect Your love, building bridges of peace and reconciliation. May Your Spirit of Grace transform my heart, allowing love to conquer all enmity." Amen!
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