“Do Good To Those Who Hate You”
“But to you who are listening I say:
Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless
those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also.
If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to
everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand
it back. Do to others as you would have them do to
you.
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that
to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do
good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do
that. And if you lend to
those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners
lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to
them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward
will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to
the ungrateful and wicked. Be
merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Luke 6:27-36
Praying
for people who treat us with contempt is one way for us to try and make an
impact on those who absolutely hate us. Jesus explained that Christians get no
credit for swapping acts of kindness to people who are already kind to us.
Today,
if you feel someone is boxing you in, seek safety if the situation calls for
it, and follow the teaching of Jesus Christ. That means pray for that person.
Prayer is the best defense.
Returning good for good is human, returning good for
evil is devine.
Our Daily Bread –