To Respond to Enemies With Love
God of Love,
There is no greater example in history of what it looks like to love your enemy than the example Jesus set for us. It wasn’t only at his death that he faced the hatred of enemies in word and actions, but also during his life. Yet we hear no lashing out from his lips, no hate-fueled words spewed out in anger. His response to those who hated him was to love them back.
Give me that heart for those who hate me or wish evil on me or who mistreat me. Do not allow me to waste even a second of my time entertaining possible malicious actions in response. Keep me from trying to mentally justify any potentially vicious verbal comebacks. Instead, let my words and actions toward the bad people in my life model the loving grace you have shown me. The world celebrates the quick-witted put-down or snappy insult against those who mistreat us. Let me, though, model the godly picture of character and strength in how I choose instead to love others, including those who don’t care for me or even hate me.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.