I've been reading articles and books on injustice issues happening around the world. It makes you really angry sometimes that there are people around the world that could take advantage of people the way they do. We showed a video at Fathers House Church a couple of weeks ago, about the wonderful people at Westboro Baptist church in Kansas.
Matthew 5:43-48 states it well. Pray for those who persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
I love the way that the message says it. Matthew 5:43-47 "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. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that."
I recently read an article in the Mission Frontiers Magazine titled, "Loving Bin Laden - What Does Jesus Expect Us To Do?"
What does it look like to love our enemies, to let go of bitterness, hate, those people that have said horrible things about us, done horrible things to us. What does it look like to do what it says in Luke 6:28, "bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."
How will you respond this week when; you learn someone has done something horrible, the person that cuts you off in traffic, the one that gossip's about you, that co-worker that has it out for you. How will you respond to your enemies? My challenge to you is to take a deep breath, say a prayer, and if at all possible, love them and bless them!
