“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven…

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” – Matthew 5:43-48

While this is one of the most well known Scripture verses, I fear that it is one of the least internalized. It can be quite easy to love hypothetical enemies; but when it comes to loving our actual enemies in real life, it is quite a different matter.

I was challenged a few years ago when a dear missionary brother told me he kept pictures of people who have hurt him in the past inside his Bible. He did this so that he could encounter them frequently in prayer and pray for them. Over time, I have found that intentionally praying regularly for those it is difficult for me to love brings about needed changes in my own heart. What begins as, perhaps, a forced exercise turns to genuine affection. Whether it is a politician, a colleague at work, a family member, whoever it may be—let’s use this season to reflect on who is hardest for us to love, and know that this is precisely the person Christ is commanding us to love. Pray for me and I will pray for you!

In Christ,