Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.
This is how I used to look at this:
1) I dont really have a lot of enemies - doesnt effect me.
2) I will work on that later, I have a bunch of other sins ans vices that I can work on first
3) Why would I love someone who acts like a jerk?
The short answer is that jerks need more love than anyone.
But the extended answer is that God has been teaching me a lot about loving others no matter what. The way that I used to look at Christianity was that if we were good people and were nice to others, then we'd be fine. But Jesus has a funny way of always taking it to the next level. Not only are we called to be more than just NICE we are called to love one another with an intense love! And not only are we called to love one another intensely... We are called to love the people who are hardest for us to love with that same intensity! This is so crazy!
Seriously, think about it. Anyone can love someone who loves them back... But how much more does it mean when you love someone who isnt going to give you anything in return except maybe some curses and a punch in the face! We have to look at why we choose to love. If its for a response, then its not love at all. If we care for people when no one is looking just because we simply care...I think thats love.
Jesus certainly didnt love for a response! He hung out with the sinners and the ones who didnt love him back. He loved the people who crucified Him. Yea, He even loves us when we crucify him every time we sin. Romans 5:8 says, God proves His love for us in that while we were still ainners, Christ died for us." Here's the kicker - would you die for someone who was set out to crucify you? Or would you only die for those who love and accept you? This is a question that we need to start thinking about because everybody has people who are easy to love as well as people who are not so easy to love in their lives. So today lets choose to love the person who treats you the worst. Its worth a shot because in the end, love always wins.
