Love Your Enemies
by Vicky Munro
I recently read this verse and I just can’t get it out of my head. Round and round it keeps going. It’s a verse that I don’t really want to think about. When we have people who persecute us, and are who we might call enemies, it’s hard to love them, but even harder to pray for them.
Luke 6:27 says, “But to you who are willing to listen, I say love your enemies, do good to those who hate you” And a few verses later in Luke it says again, “Love your enemies, do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be great, and you will truly be acting as children of the most high, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked” (Luke 6:35).
God really has been speaking to me about this. My first reaction was “No way! Why should I? After the way they have treated me! After what they have said or done to me! Jesus, are You being serious right now?”
But I was convicted. I had to ask myself a few questions, Lord am I walking in forgiveness and grace? Am I willing to listen to You? Am I serving You? Am I willing to lay down my life for others? Am I willing to love the unlovable?
Tough questions! Some of my answers were negative to begin with. Then I really had to search my heart and ask God to forgive me where I have not lived out the above scriptures. The next thing was to put it into practice and do it with a willing heart. It may be hard for us to be kind to those who are unthankful and not very nice, but Jesus is the best example of how to show love and kindness. The New Testament has many scriptures on this.
What about you today? Are there people in your life who are persecuting you? Who are your enemies? How about the people who just have the knack of rubbing you up the wrong way and pushing your buttons? Can you honestly say that you love them and are willing to pray for them? These are challenging questions for you to ponder.
Maybe today you could take the first step. If you are struggling, ask God to help you with it. Be willing to be willing. Ask God to bring people to mind that you might need to love and to show love to.
Vicky Munro Vicky has been a friend of Ellel Scotland for many years and joined the associate ministry team in 2021 after completing explore A and B. She herself has experienced deep healing over the years and desires to come alongside others to experience the same. As a support worker she enjoys working with children and young people part time. A big cat lover, Vicky also loves walking, catching up with friends and eating Deans shortbread!
Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship. Provided full acknowledgement is made to Seeds of the Kingdom as the source, you are also welcome to use it in a non-commercial way and reproduce it in magazines or other Christian websites. The copyright for any commercial use of the material remains with Ellel Ministries International.
