Matthew 5:43-48, Love Your Enemies

“My husband, Charlie. He wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life,” shared Charlie’s widow, Erika, in an emotional memorial service on Sunday for the slain political activist.

Erika quoted Jesus’ statement about those who were crucifying Him in Luke 23:34. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Then she said, “That young man. I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did in his. What Charlie would do. The answer to hate is not hate.”

This heart-rending, tear-evoking act of selfless forgiveness reminds us of one of Jesus’ most challenging commands.

 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 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.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

The late Paul Earnhart, in his book Invitation to A Spiritual Revolution, called this the “unthinkable commandment,” coming from a context that has “taken an even larger bite out of the human ego.” Paul observed that this edict and the preceding contrasts in Matthew 5 challenged the “popular Pharisaic perversions” and graphically illustrated “the real demand of Kingdom righteousness.”

It’s a demand that challenges our 21st-century culture and our polarized political climate that demonizes everyone who disagrees with our view and slurs them with slander, insults, and derision.

Can you imagine a Christian saying, “I hate my enemies”? It is possible, however, that while we may not verbally admit this, we actually feel this way deep down in our hearts.

The road to removing hate from the heart begins by first embracing the spirit of Christ and emulating His attitude toward those who are His enemies, who are also the enemies of God.

Then, we can apply Jesus’ practical suggestions from this text. Pray for them. Bless them. Do good for them. Look for ways to show love. Rise above a self-serving love of those who love us. And seek to assimilate the love of God who loves us all.

The late evangelical leader, Stephen F. Olford, once told the story of Peter Miller, a Baptist preacher during the American Revolution. Miller lived in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, and one of his dearest friends was General George Washington. In the town of Ephrata, there also lived a spiteful troublemaker named Michael Wittman who did all he could to oppose and humiliate Miller.

One day, Wittman was arrested for treason and sentenced to death. When he heard the news, Miller set out for Philadelphia to plead for the life of his enemy. After walking seventy miles on foot, Miller petitioned his friend, General Washington, to spare Wittman’s life.

“No, Peter,” General Washington said. “I cannot grant you the life of your friend.”

“My friend?” exclaimed the old preacher. “He’s not my friend. In fact, he is the bitterest enemy I have.”

“What?” cried Washington. “You’ve walked seventy miles to save the life of an enemy? That puts the matter in a different light. I’ll grant your pardon.” And he did.

That day, Miller and Wittman walked back home to Ephrata together. When they arrived home, they were no longer enemies. They were friends.

Miller’s actions and the plea of this grieving widow, Erika Kirk, speak to the heart of this issue. “The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the gospel is love and always love.”

Martin Luther King, Jr was right when he proclaimed, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman