Possibly the most difficult verse in the Bible is Matt 5:44. It is not difficult because it is obscure or hard to understand. It is a clear verse spoken by Jesus, “Love your enemies.” Sadly, we often fail to keep this command because we want to do the bare minimum. We stay out of our enemy’s way to avoid conflict. We do not think about them, talk to them, or associate with them. However, we sometimes fail to do even this. We get on social media to post something that ridicules our enemy (maybe a politician we dislike). We gossip about or demean our enemies. We are overjoyed when bad things happen to them.

Jesus’ words require us to go beyond hating our enemies and simply avoiding those who hate us. He calls us to actively love them. Later Christian scribes added some words to Matt 5:44 to further explain what Jesus demands, “love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (NKJV). When was the last time you did a good deed for someone whom you dislike? When was the last time you got down on your knees and prayed for your enemy? When was the last time you uttered a blessing to or about your adversary?

If we truly want to be like Christ and our Father, we must love our enemies. I encourage you to do the following:

1. Identify your enemies. Your enemies may not even be someone you know personally but you see them as an antagonist in your life.

2. Write down how you have behaved toward them this past year. Were you actively antagonistic toward them? Were you avoiding them both mentally and physically?

3. Pray for them. See them as a potential friend and brother or sister in Christ. View them as a child of God.