Love Your Enemies!

We have spent much of June focusing our thoughts on the value of human life and praying for our families and communities in light of the daily violence being reported in our nation. Today, let’s begin with the Pledge of Allegiance:

"I pledge allegiance to the Flag 

of the United States of America, 

and to the Republic for which it stands, 

one nation under God, indivisible, 

with liberty and justice for all." 

 You may be wondering, “Why the pledge?” Turn your focus to the famous words “one nation under God.” Now consider how we treat each other. If we are indeed “one nation under God” we are falling short. The Bible tells us the mark of a Christian is in how we love. In Matthew 5:43-48 (LB), Jesus says these profound words: 

There is a saying, ‘Love your friends and hate your enemies.’ But I say: Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!  In that way you will be acting as true sons of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust too. If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even scoundrels do that much. If you are friendly only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even the heathen does that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

The love Jesus is describing is agape. It is one of four Greek words translated as love in the New Testament. Agape describes the sacrificial, giving love God the Father has for us which we find in Romans 5:8, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” It is different from the world’s love and does not depend on the worthiness of the recipient. It is the love we are to live and share with the world, in our communities, and in our homes. 

I am reminded of the hymn, ““We Are One in the Spirit” which says, “they’ll know we are Christians by our love…” based on John 13:35. This week, let’s pray for God’s help as we seek to show the world agape love, the same love God shows to us every day. And in doing so, may we turn the tide of violence in our country to peace.