It's not a new concept. I mean it was 2000 years ago. Jesus says to "Love your enemies." We've heard it so many times before that I think we're almost accustomed to it. Yeah, love those who you hate. Easy to say, hard to do. That those who violently attack you, you should repay with Love and prayer towards them. Let's look at the passage first, then I'll explain what God's teaching me.
Luke 6:27-36
[27] "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, [28] bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. [29] If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. [30] Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. [31] Do to others as you would have them do to you.
[32] "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. [33] And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. [34] And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. [35] But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. [36] Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
I guess in my mind, when I first would read this, I would think of people who directly came at me. People who attacked me in opposition, my enemies. That was my preconceived notion was an enemy in a war is obvious they're against you. After realizing I wasn't treating some people the way I should God brought this passage back up and I started rereading it.
I guess verse 32 is what got me. I was thinking this applied in my life directly to non-believers who want to argue and fight. That those who stand in opposition, but I never thought about those who just aren't loving me. Believers and non-believers alike. I realized that often times, consciously or subconsciously, I'll return whatever love or respect I'm given by people I'm more comfortable around. If someone treats me rough, or even if they just don't treat me good, then I tend to reciprocate those actions back.
Statistically proven, more missionaries leave the field not due to culture, or the people, or being homesick, or physical ailments, but the number one reason they leave is other missionaries. I realized, we as Christians, are not showing the patience and grace to believers like we are non-believers. We are held to a higher standard, but we forget that we need Jesus everyday just like everyone else in the world. We need grace just as much as those who don't have it. Just because we've been forgiven by God doesn't always mean we're pleasant to live with on Earth. Still being human, we're still going to mess up. We recognize that in ourselves, but I think we forget that about other Christians. Grace is not a one time event, it's like water, needed daily to survive.
So today, I am going to show patience to those who are wearing me out, whoever they are.
I am going to show grace to those who need it, whoever they are.
I am going to go above and beyond they're actions towards me to Love them like Jesus, whoever they are.
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