Saturday, November 20, 2010

Life Lesson #9

Life Lesson #9: Love your enemies

What does this mean to you? Do you ever think this is just something that applies to you if someday someone robs your house? Then you can pray for them? Or if someone does something really super terrible to you one day. Then you can forgive them. Or maybe you've even dared to apply it to that girl at school that hates your guts.
But what about looking at things in a different way.

Now, don't get me wrong, all those things listed definitely count. But what I'm saying is, just because we don't use the term "enemies" so freely today. In the case of this verse and lesson it can be applied to much more. Hear me out, I'm not saying to go out and start labeling a bunch of people your "enemies". But do consider this for a second.

Classic situation: You're walking along in the halls and your about to pass some "popular" person. It's just you two, and you really want to talk to them. From everything you've seen, they seem really cool. So you say hi. They don't reply. They don't even look at you. Don't even notice you.

I'm afraid in the past this has very easily made me bitter. When it comes to situations like this I adopt a sort of "If you snub me, I'll snub you back" attitude. Even lowering myself to gossiping about how stuck up they are, at times. But you see, this is exactly the type of place that Matthew 5:44 fits in. Instead of getting mad, gossiping, resenting it, feeling depressed, or even shrugging it off, were supposed to pray for them. To love them. To do good to them.

At this, I admit, I have failed...miserably. But that doesn't mean I'm gonna stop there. I plan on working on my attitude. To try and make a change for the better. To love the "popular" people. To love those that think they are too good for me. To pray for them honestly and earnestly. Not judge. Not gossip. Not hate. But love.

So, how about you?

No comments:

Post a Comment