Love your enemy, even when it's hard

Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust too. If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even the pagans do that. -Matthew 5:44-47
May the Lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today.-1 Samuel 24:19


Saul was still on the hunt to kill David. While searching for him, Saul entered David's cave to go potty. There was David's chance! David tore a piece of Saul's robe without him knowing, yet did not harm or allow anyone to harm a hair on his head. Saul left the cave and David came out, showing that he did not want to harm Saul. David bowed before Saul, "My lord the king."
I am not going to kill you. The Lord placed you at my mercy in the cave, and I did not kill you. "I will never harm him, he is the Lord's anointed one."
"May the Lord judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and He will rescue me."
Love your enemies!  Pray for those who persecute you!  In that way you will be acting as true children of your Father in  heaven.  For he gives sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust too.  If you love only those who love you, what good is that?  Even corrupt tax collectors do that much.  If you are kind only to love your friends, how are you different from anyone else?  Even the pagans do that.  -Matthew 5:44-47


I will never forget the day that God really placed this verse in front of me, and challenged me to this task exactly.  For days, I had listened to a message on a Christian radio station that challenged me to be intentional in showing Christ's love.  The radio voice shared many examples and ideas on how to do this.  I truly felt nudged to pay for the person behind me in drive thru, the next time I found myself in a drive thru, which happened to be a couple of days later.  As I pulled into the drive-thru, I was so excited, and ready to be intentional by paying for the person behind me.  I ordered, pulled forward, and looked in the rearview mirror, as my heart dropped into my stomach...
I am the mom of three boys, and at that time, I was the mom of three boys in little league.  Behind me, was our enemy.  A parent that we had had words with, during the heat of a moment in baseball.  Behind me, was the one person that I did not want to pray for, show love, or buy a meal.  Behind me, was the person that God asked me to love, and pray for.  My initial worldly reaction was to pay for my meal, and choose another day to be intentional.  However, conviction swept over me, as I knew this is exactly who God had placed behind me in line.  And this was the day, He called me to be intentional, even when it is hard, to show someone Him.  To show my enemy the grace that only comes from Christ. To show my enemy grace, as Christ showers me with grace that I so do not deserve. I paid for his order, and drove away knowing that the meal that I had just paid for, blessed me, far more than it blessed him. 

Father, you are my advocate. Help me to follow your lead, your word, and your guidance. Help me to seek you in all ways. Help me to love my neighbors and enemies as myself. Help me to reflect you and act as your child. Thank you for loving me! Thank you for your ways! Help me to follow the path that you created in advance for me! In Jesus' name!