Love Your Enemies – A Radical Change of Heart
«Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.»
«Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 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; 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. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.»
Promise and fulfilment
In the Old Testament, we were promised that we should love our neighbour and avoid hatred in our hearts, because God himself is the source of this love.
In Christ, this promise has not only been realised but has blossomed into a radical transformation of the heart. He taught us that true love for God is demonstrated in loving our enemies, and through his own life and death, he showed us what this love looks like and that it can overcome even the greatest hostilities.
Let these verses remind you to take your own Bible in your hands, read them there again and, if you wish, continue a little further. Holding God's Word in your hands also gives you a precious moment away from the digital world.
Do not read the Bible in one long run, but passage by passage: one text, unhurried, asking the Holy Spirit for understanding. Whoever tries to swallow everything at once loses the overview. Whoever takes one passage each day will see the whole picture over time.
The connection
The Old Testament already commanded love for one's neighbour and forbade hatred in the heart. Yet Jesus Christ goes far beyond this demand. He radically expands the circle of love, calling us to love even our enemies and pray for them, thereby reflecting the true perfection of God.
Reflection
Yesterday, we reflected on how Jesus teaches us to forgo retaliation and to meet evil with love. Today, he takes this idea even further. It is one thing to refrain from vengeance, but quite another to actively pray for and do good to those who wish us harm.
This demand from Jesus is perhaps one of the most challenging of all. It goes against every human intuition, against our sense of justice, and our natural defence mechanisms. Yet, precisely therein lies the greatness of the love to which Christ calls us: it is not merely a feeling, but a conscious decision that reflects the divine character.
When we love our enemies, we do not become weak or naive. On the contrary, we demonstrate a strength that can only come from God. We break the cycle of hatred and violence, opening up a space for forgiveness and healing that would otherwise remain closed. This is the perfection Jesus speaks of – not flawless impeccability, but a comprehensive, divine love that knows no bounds.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I often find it so difficult to live the love you expect of me. My natural feelings rebel against loving my enemies. Yet, in Jesus, you have shown me that this is the way to reflect your perfection. Help me today, not only to avoid hatred but to actively pray for and do good to those who wrong me. Grant me your heart, that I may be a child of your light, sowing love where hatred reigns. Amen.
The thread
After reflecting yesterday on forgoing retaliation, Jesus today leads us deeper into the radical dimension of neighbourly love: loving our enemies. This is the first step this week into our weekly theme, 'The Sermon on the Mount'.
Today, love not only your neighbours but also those who are hostile towards you, and so reflect God's love.
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