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Feb 20, 2025 18:00pm

What Now?: Loving Your Enemies

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The following comes from the devotional book “What Now?” by Ashley Akers. To learn more, go to www.whatnowdevo.com.

Loving Your Enemies

Can I start by saying, “ugh”? This. One. Is. Hard! While I do not consider myself to be victorious in this, I’m better than I once was due to a growing relationship with Christ. Sometimes it is hard for me to love someone who has wronged me.

Why sometimes? Because it depends on where my eyes are fixed at the time. When my eyes are fixed upon myself, I have a pity party and allow the hurt to affect me. When my eyes are fixed on Jesus, I will not let it bother me because I realize it is not about me.

Focusing on Jesus allows me to love and extend grace to people because that is what Jesus Christ did for me. Before I came to Christ I was considered His enemy, yet He loved me. I am called to do the same, but I cannot do this in my own strength. It must come from Him!

Jesus teaches us about loving our enemies in Luke 6:27-36:

“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, … And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”

Let that scripture sink in for a moment. Jesus said that we must love our enemies, do good to them and pray for them. That is the complete opposite of the world’s teaching. Jesus understands that it is easy to love those who love you and difficult to love those who hurt you. Putting your emotions aside and loving them brings great reward! When someone tries to ruin your reputation, lies, gossips, or mocks you…love them. When you choose to love you are trusting that Jesus will take care of your enemies.

I would like to add that loving does not mean that you should have warm fuzzy feelings for them, it simply means to make a conscious effort to treat them with respect and do good to them, even when you don’t feel like it. That warm fuzzy feeling may never happen, and that’s okay. Be kind. Love. Show respect. I pray that God reminds me of this when I don’t feel like loving the people who hurt me.

Reflection Questions

1. How hard is it to love the people who hurt you? Why?

2. When a person hurts you, how do you respond?

3. Would you be willing today to take a step of faith to be kind to everyone, no matter how you feel?