Day 19-Love Your Neighbor & Your Enemy
Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
We saw in previous day’s messages where God’s word tells us that if we do not love Him we don’t love God. God is love. He loved us all so much he gave us Jesus as our Savior. Jesus willingly gave His life for us. That’s love. The least I can do is love God and all people, because He does too.
When God sent Jesus as The Savior of the world He had in mind to show love to all people. He loves friend and fo. He tells us to also love not only our friends but also our enemies.
You’ve heard to expression: “Killing them with kindness” and “Keep a friend close, but an enemy even closer”? Even if you’re persecuted, you show love. The Bible is full of stories of this love being expressed. Read it for yourselves. Share what you find.
Prayer: Dear Father Yahweh, I pray that we can can love even our enemies, as You do. Help us be like YOU. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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