 |
| Linda and her 2014-2105 piano/vocal students. |
Jesus tells me to love my enemies. I understand this. My problem is that my heart has not caught up with my mind. I'm asking God to fully bring the beautiful "love your enemies" command into my entire being. How important is this?
In God's kingdom, everything rises and falls on
love. The mark of the Christian,[1] and the sign that God reigns in their life, is
that they love one another, love their enemies and die for them, and do good to
those who don’t love them.
I am to love all people. No exceptions
allowed. God's love does not discriminate between friends and enemies. Greg Boyd
explains this.
Notice
that there are no exception clauses found anywhere in the New Testament’s
teaching about loving and doing good to enemies. Indeed, Jesus’ emphasis on the
indiscriminate nature of love rules out any possible exceptions. The sun
doesn’t decide on whom it will and will not shine. The rain doesn’t decide on
whom it will and will not fall. So too, Kingdom people are forbidden to decide
who will and will not receive the love and good deeds we’re commanded to give.[2]
God is love. Jesus had compassion on people,
seeing them as sheep without a shepherd. Jesus died for his enemies, including moi. I am praying for this love to
totalize me.
