Read:

Luke 6:35, “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.”

Think:

It is easy to love the ones who think you are awesome, the people who love you, and the people who do things for you. It is easy to love those who have a similar personality, similar faith, and similar political views. It gives us a sense of calmness or sameness. How could we not show love to them? But Jesus said, “Love your enemies.” Imagine the shock, the jolt that the crowd felt. “Love your enemies” still makes us squeamish 2,000 years later.

This is the Mount Everest of Christianity, the highest peak. It is the costliest, the toughest to surmount; it takes the most spiritual muscles. That level of love seems insurmountable, it appears ridiculous. This verse tells us to love our enemies – even those who are “ungrateful and wicked.” What does this mean in basic terms? It’s being kind when there’s nothing in it for you. It’s giving when there is no return. It’s extending grace even in the face of opposition. This is the way we show God’s love.

Act:

We can show love because we have experienced the love of Jesus. Is there someone in your life who is hard to love? Get practical and find one way today in which you can show them love. Ask God for help and wisdom.

Pray:

Jesus, You loved me so much that You died for me while I was still a sinner, an enemy of God. Help me love others unselfishly. Give me the strength to overcome the barriers and respond as You would. Enable me to see others as You see me. Amen.