43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor[g] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,[h] 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren[i] only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors[j] do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (ESV)
When “Love” Feels Like a Four-Letter Word
Her name was Lisa.
I HATED that girl…with a passion. But she hated me first.
Even though I was only seven years old, I will never forget how much she ruined my fun when she showed up. I detested the sound of her voice.
But there was this one time we both temporarily lost our minds, and we decided to try to be friends. It lasted a couple of days, but we couldn’t hold the hatred back. It ended with her spewing ugly words my way, and me smacking her across the face. (And running away…)
There was NO way I was going to show her love; it wasn’t a thought in my mind. She was just too mean.
Lisa was my enemy.
If you have ever been suffocated by the emotion of hate, then you know “loving enemies” is easier said than done. Love goes against all that is naturally in us, and we are incapable of doing it.
And that is exactly what Christ came to prove. That we CAN’T fulfill the law. At least not without His presence in our lives….
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As seen on the Ask God Today Ministries “Way In” Challenge!
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Photo Credit: Creation Swap, Love, Reinhard Komanapalli
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