Love is the Best Revenge

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Scripture: Matthew 5:43-45 (ESV)

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is 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.

 

Meditation

            In a previous meditation we read and discussed Jesus words of non-violence toward those who persecute you. Today we will look at what Jesus commands us to do in place of seeking revenge on those who persecute us. And others we may consider our enemies. If you thought non-violence was difficult today’s scripture is impossible without help from the Holy Spirit.

            Loving those who persecute and oppress you is just not the way of the world. However, we Christians are called to live above the standards world. Loving and praying for our enemies (at least for me) is simply more than I can do on my own.

            Where do we get the power to live this kind of love filled life? We can only get it from the power of the Holy Spirit. There is no other place that God through Jesus suggests we look for this kind of supernatural love. Our natural reaction to persecution and oppression is to hate our enemies as the Hebrew Scriptures suggest. But, we have access through Christ to the supernatural power of love in the Holy Spirit. This, however, only comes through prayer.

            So the Christian must pray to God for help in this area, or face constant defeat. It is simply not possible to live a life of love for our enemies any other way. So let us pray right now!

 

Prayer

Dear God in heaven, holy is your name. Jesus taught us here that we are to love our enemies and we confess that we are to frail and weak to accomplish this on our own. Forgive us for the times when we have failed in this regard. Look with favor upon us and grant us the power of the Holy Spirit to fill our lives with a supernatural love that is strong enough to include even our enemies. Strengthen us in all areas where we are weak so that we may walk in victory in your Son Jesus Christ’s name. Amen!

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