by David Brenneman
“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 causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:43-48.
“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." Luke 6:27-36.
"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse." Romans 12:14.
"He who walks in integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will be found out." Proverbs 10:9.
"As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, And You set me in Your presence forever." Psalms 41:12.
"and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong." 1 Peter 3:16-17.
In our world in which we live, move, and have our being, we are those who want instant justice, instant gratification, instant peace, instant joy, instant well-being.
The reality is much different from the truth that oh so many people deceive themselves into believing.
It's not a well accepted thing these that we just read from the Bible.
Many grow up with the concept of an eye-for-an-eye. To crave, to demand, justice and make an offending party pay for their crimes.
People get stunned when forgiveness is mentioned rather than harsh judgment.
Forgiveness doesn't sell in the headlines. Raging people sell in the headlines. People protesting vigorously make the headlines.
People seeking stories of people who dole out vigilante justice and its received as heroism.
But to forgive. To walk in integrity regardless of the opinions of others. To pray for those who have or are persecuting you.
That's what we're told, what we are commanded, to do.
It's rather hard to do if we're being honest yet the more it's done the easier it does get.
The real deal is getting out of God's way in dealing with those who persecute us. Regardless of any reason...Jesus died for everyone. He died and arose again in order to save people. All people. Including those who have done oh so much wrong in this world.
And forgiveness does bring freedom. It really does.
Where many still mess up is in forgetting. We are commanded to forgive no matter how many times a person asks us to. Part of our problem is we get to a point where it's too tempting to dish out some kind of judgment when it's not for us to do.
We can forget in the sense that the pains associated with remembering are placed at the foot of the cross.
We often cross the line, however, and permanently attach forgiveness and forgetting. Whereas the person who should forgive no longer is.
We're to grow in Christ. Grow up in all aspects of Jesus Christ. To forgive as He did. To forget as He did. We so easily forget ourselves that when we came to Christ for salvation that He cast our sins as far as the east is from the west, doing what??? Remembering them no more.
While we can be those seeking personal gratification at justice being served...we really should not.
"Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; Or the Lord will see it and be displeased, And turn His anger away from him. Do not fret because of evildoers Or be envious of the wicked; For there will be no future for the evil man; The lamp of the wicked will be put out." Proverbs 24:17-20.
Pray for those who persecute you.
Pray for those who mistreat you.
It's where I certainly find myself these days. If I were to give in to self-righteousness in thought or deed things wouldn't go well. Bitterness would spring up and be most difficult to be rid of.
By the Spirit I know of what to pray concerning those who did me wrong. That is what I shall do.
"As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, And You set me in Your presence forever." Psalms 41:12.
This is entirely what Jesus meant by stating that we shouldn't judge. I do not have the right to condemn someone to Hell because of something they did to me. I should not pray for their destruction. As King David said of King Saul, far be it from him that he would stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed. Regardless of the opportunity or the intent there's always someone who would know...King David.
My prayers have to be for salvation for those who did me wrong. Nothing less than what Jesus wants for them. My desires for these people must be what Jesus desires for these people if I am to exhibit the character of Christ in me.
We are to live out life in the character of Christ. That's what we see in the Disciples turned Apostles. They were taught the character of Christ and walked in the character of Christ after the resurrection.
Pray for those in your life who aren't treating you like you ought to be treated. The Scriptures warn of letting any root of bitterness taking hold in our lives.
Want for people what Jesus wants for people. He's not willing that any should perish but that all might be saved.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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