Matthew 5:44-47 “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 brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?”
Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Because we are Christians in America in 2018, there are those who will oppose us. They will curse us. They will hate us. They will despitefully use us. They will persecute us.
In reality, this isn’t unique to American Christians in 2018. It has happened to believers throughout history.
As we stand strong and unwavering in our beliefs, Jesus gives us the perfect checklist to follow. As we are cursed, hated, used, and persecuted, we are to respond in a way that is refreshingly different and distinct from the world. We are to do good to our opposition; we are to pray for them; we are to love them.
After all, this is the checklist that Jesus Himself followed. He loved those who opposed Him. He did good to those who hated Him. He prayed for those who despitefully used Him.
If we are to make the impact that God intends for us, then we are to follow His ways. They are greater than our ways!
PLEASE PRAYERFULLY RESPOND TO THOSE WHO OPPOSE US IN A WAY THAT FOLLOWS JESUS’ ADMONITION AND EXAMPLE. Maybe by doing so, we can have the impact that Jesus intends for us. Maybe by loving our enemies, we can prompt revival in this land!
