Last week, in my blog How Should I React? The assassination of Charlie Kirk, I wrote that God wants us to love our enemies.
Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.
Luke 6:27
This is really difficult. It just doesn’t make sense. In fact, it almost seems impossible.
Why should I love my enemies?
Firstly, I should love my enemies because Jesus said I should:
You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour 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.
Matthew 5:43-44a
The verse above refers to a passage in the Old Testament that says to love our neighbour:
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbour as yourself. I am the Lord.
Leviticus 19:18
A Pharisee who wanted to test Jesus, asked him which is the greatest commandment. Jesus replied:
‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’
Matthew 22: 37-39
Who is my neighbour?
OK. We’ve got to love our neighbour. So, who IS our neighbour?
When Jesus was asked this question, this is what happened as recorded in Luke 10:35-37:
“On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he asked, ‘What must I do to inherit eternal life?’
‘What is written in the Law?’ Jesus replied. ‘How do you read it?’
He answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’
‘You have answered correctly,’ Jesus replied. ‘Do this and you will live.’
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’
In reply Jesus said: ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
‘Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?’
The expert in the law replied, ‘The one who had mercy on him.’
Jesus told him, ‘Go and do likewise.’”
The Good Samaritan
The verses above are a well-known Bible story, known as The Good Samaritan. It is important to know that Jews and Samaritans were enemies. Both the priest and the Levite see the injured man, but choose to ignore him. They, of all people, should have known the need for help and compassion, but it seems they are more concerned with their own ritual purity.
Then, along comes a Samaritan. Perhaps he might have been excused for walking past an injured Jew. After all, the Jew probably wouldn’t want his help. But the Samaritan stops to help, putting himself at risk on that dangerous road. He shows love that is practical and costly. He applies wine to disinfect, and oil to soothe the pain of the wounds. He goes out of his way to get the Samaritan to an inn, and takes responsibility for his continuing recovery.
For the Samaritan, ‘love’ is shown in action, not just in word. It is costly and real, and shown to all people, even his enemies.
When Jesus asked the expert in the law who was the neighbour in the parable, he couldn’t even say the word, ‘Samaritan.’ Instead he referred to him as ‘the one who showed mercy’.
Jesus tells him to ‘Go and do likewise.’
I imagine the law expert realising his mistake. He knew the commandments, and Jesus agreed with him. But then, wanting to justify himself, he asked a loaded question, ‘Who is my neighbour?’
Jesus’ parable doesn’t identify the injured man. But it seems likely that he was a Jew. In the story, the priest and Levite, fellow Jews, don’t help this man, or even go to investigate. They leave him half-dead and instead cross the road, so they don’t get too close. They don’t show ANY love.
It was a Samaritan who showed love to his neighbour, even to his enemy. The expert in the law probably expected Jesus to say that his neighbour was someone like him with similar ideas and worldview. Someone with the same cultural background and the same political opinions. Of course, he knew that he was expected to help this kind of neighbour, one whom it was easy to love. But, to go and do likewise, to help an enemy, like the Samaritan did…No way!
Loving when it’s impossible
Well, it’s one thing to love people who are similar to me. But why should I love members of groups that for generations have been enemies of my family? Why should I love someone who is only out to get me; who has caused me untold hardship and suffering? Why should I love someone who is unlovable?
At her husband’s funeral last week, Erika Kirk spoke love for Charlie’s murderer. Through her tears of grief, she forgave him:
Erika Kirk forgives Charlie’s murderer
We may have expected anger and bitterness towards her husband’s killer. Instead, she chose to forgive. Erika didn’t forgive because she’s such a perfect Christian. Like the rest of us, she can only forgive because she knows the loving, sacrificial, forgiveness of Jesus. Knowing that she has been forgiven for everything, she is enabled to forgive others, even her enemy.
Erika is still grieving. It is still a horrible, personal loss which will be felt forever. But she has handed over to God her anger and desire for retribution. This is humanly impossible. Only God can enable any of us to love and forgive our enemies.
Who are your enemies?
I don’t know the pain and suffering that you have experienced, or may be experiencing right now. Perhaps you are harbouring hurt and bitterness toward someone. Certainly, if you are in danger, you must do all you can to get out of the situation. God does NOT call us to stay in situations of abuse.
My neighbour, my enemy
We’ve had a neighbour who was difficult to love. He threw branches and rubbish over the fence into our yard. We even found dead toads and dead birds, and presume they came from him. One of our big eucalypt trees died suddenly, and I wonder if he poisoned it. He called the RSPCA to complain about our dog, and the council to complain about our chooks. So, officers had to come out to inspect our yard. Of course, they couldn’t tell us the call was from him, but none of our other neighbours had a problem.
He always seemed to be looking through the gaps in the fence, but yelled at our children when they looked his way. This problem went on for years. I became very bitter about him, and I was fearful. I didn’t even want to hang out the washing in case he was looking into our yard. When I saw him in the grocery store, I tried to hide in another aisle, so that he wouldn’t see me.
Praying for my neighbour
Of course, I knew all this wasn’t right. It isn’t what God wants from me. I knew I should pray for my neighbour. So, I did. But I didn’t pray for his good, I just prayed that he would move away! He didn’t.
We eventually got a new fence, with no gaps. He didn’t pay anything towards the fence, even though he should have paid half. But rather than go to court, we figured it was worth the cost for a bit of privacy.
Thank the Lord, God has now healed my heart, mostly. The neighbour hasn’t changed. We still find occasional rubbish in our yard. We still hear him swearing loudly when he is angry. He still blows his leaf litter under the fence. But now, I don’t have to hide inside, scared to be in my own yard. I don’t feel anger or bitterness every time he turns on his leaf blower.
God didn’t change my neighbour. Thank the Lord, He changed my attitude. I can’t say it’s easy. And the things he does still aren’t right. But I pray that I can forgive, and keep on forgiving. And I thank the Lord that He has forgiven me.
Prayer:
Lord, please forgive my anger, my fear and my bitterness towards others. Help me forgive those who seem unforgiveable.
I know that you died to take away all my sins, and the consequences of my sins. Right now, I’m burdened by the weight of sins that I can’t forgive.
Help me to see all people, including my enemies, as people that you love; people that you died for, so that they can be forgiven.
Help me to show your forgiveness to them, so that my life may reflect You, and point them to Jesus.
What about you?
Do you find it easy to love your neighbour?
What about your enemies?
If you are in danger:
Call 000 in an emergency.
24/7 RESPECT counsellors Ph: 1800 737 732.
Next time:
In my next blog, I’ll talk about the second reason for why we should love our enemies.