Should we love just our friends or should we love everyone? Let's see what the bible says:
Mathew 5:43 - 48
Yes have heard that it had been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine
enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good
to them that hate you,and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute
you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh
his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the
unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the
publicans the same? And if ye salute your bretheren only, what do ye more than
others? do not even the publicans the same? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your
Father which is in heaven is perfect.
WE ARE INSTRUCTED TO LOVE OUR ENEMIES, BLESS THEM THAT CURSE YOU,
DO GOOD TO THEM THAT HATE YOU AND PRAY FOR THEM WHICH DESPITEFULLY
USE YOU, AND PERSECUTE YOU.
That is a pretty tall order - but in God's strength we can fulfill our christian duty of loving
our enemies. Jesus was the great example - he gave up his own life - and died a cruel,
horrible death on the cross - while his enemies cursed him, did unspeakable harm to him
and persecuted him - all for no reason - other than they were mean, nasty, horrible, cruel
people.
If God wants us to be kind and loving to our enemies - then surely he will give us the power
to do this.
YES HE WILL.
Let's Pray.
Dear Heavenly Father,
We come to you today and say thank you. Thank you for loving us, for caring for us and for
forgiving us when we have wronged you and others. Even when we were continuing on in sin
and ignoring you, our Heavenly Father, our best friend, our hope, our protector, our rock,
our salvation - you didn't abandon us...Instead you showered us with blessings and love -
hoping, waiting patiently for us to come to our senses - and invite you into our lives for
either the first time or for many times - You were doing everything within your power to
get us to see that you were and still are there - waiting - just waiting for us to call your
name and to come on home.
We missed you Lord while we were away. We had an awful time without you. We fretted
and worried and were so unhappy - we cried, we had no peace, we were so overwhelmed
- ooh we put on a good show to the world - we smiled, we joked, we performed our work
duties, we went about our daily duties appearing to be happy - but under that mask of
pretence to the world - we were desperately lonely, lost, sad and overwhelmed. We are
coming home Lord - coming home to you. Coming home to safety - to security - to peace
