To Love or Not to Love, That is the Question
Jesus taught his disciples that loving our enemies is a selfless act of Christianity. But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. Luke 6:27-29. But is it really that easy? No. With the world at odds with itself, people are torn between good and evil. Anything or anyone that stands against our beliefs in the Holy Bible, the Infallible Word of God is the enemy. Gay marriages, abortion, education, politics...these are just a few of the many things that separates Christians from the world. But is this how Jesus wanted us to react to what is going on in our neighborhoods and communities by turning our backs on “the unbelievers, the unchurched, the wayward?” Of course not. Loving our enemies is the epitome of Christianity. How we react and our attitudes toward people or activities that goes against the teachings of the Bible is essential.
The first few words of this Scripture tells us that those of us who hear...love our enemies. Hearing is an action word. It requires us to do something...to listen...we must be active followers of Christ but before we can follow, we must be able to hear what is expected of us. Loving our enemies is never easy which requires Supernatural power that can only come from God. We should pray for those who hurt us and bless those who wrong us as well as love those who do not know God because God first loved us. We weren’t perfect when we asked Christ into our heart. We didn’t have it altogether when we joined the church to begin the journey of living for Christ out loud.
As Christians, we are the salt of the earth. Our lives enhance the meaning of our existence. We are the ones who are supposed to be distinctive in our attitudes and behavior adding flavor everywhere we go. Just like having too much salt in our diet can be harmful, having not enough can be detrimental. But having just enough helps to regulate the water in our bodies. Jesus used salt to describe how Christians are needed to bring balance and hope to a dying world. As for the hypothetical question: to love or not to love: love is the greatest gift we can give to a dying world in need of resuscitation. Amen.