On Fixing (ahem) Loving Our Enemies

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
-Jesus, Matthew 5:43-45

A few weeks ago I heard a pastor speak at a conference. He spent some time lamenting the divisions, the culture wars, and the overall disintegration of dialogue that we have in this country. He pointed out how the church is not very different than the world around us at modeling a better way. Truth. 

He turned our attention to words of Jesus, which is always a helpful thing to do. We reflected on the most challenging teaching of Jesus (Matthew 5), when he tells his disciples the posture that they are to have toward their enemies in order to fully express God's kingdom ideals. I must admit, I lean in every time someone brings up this passage. It's one of the most countercultural statements that Jesus makes. It's the most difficult and most remarkable action of discipleship. And these days it's so relevant, because we sure are quick to place people (and groups) on our "enemies" list. 

The speaker went on, "Jesus calls us pray for our enemies. We are to commit to praying for God to do a work in our enemies. LORD, do a work in our enemies! Amen? Amen." 

Nearly everyone nodded and said, "Amen!" I did too. It was a good encouragement. 

But. 

Most times when you hear the words of Jesus and find yourself nodding in quick and easy agreement, you need to take a moment and carefully reflect. Following Jesus is usually harder and more costly than we tend to think it will be. And in this case, there was so much nodding in the room, right after the hardest saying of Jesus. Were we missing something? 

The statement given was a fine encouragement, but it was incomplete. Here's why. 

There's a problem with hearing that Jesus says to pray for our enemies, and then praying that God changes our enemies. The risk here is that we can be praying for our enemies in word, but in reality we are just spiritualizing our conflict with them. Jesus doesn't simply say that we should pray for our enemies. He says that we should love them and pray for them. It isn't just the action of the prayer, but the posture of it that is so crucial. 

Of course we believe and hope that God is able to bring transformation in our enemies' lives.... just like God is able to bring transformation in ours. But it's quite possible for me to remain angry and arrogant in my posture to my enemies, all while praying for God to set them straight because they are just acting so stupid. In doing so I re-interpret the point of Jesus' words to mean: "Pray for them, so that they get fixed."

But looking at the person of Jesus, that's not what he meant. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your father in heaven. 

Our father's love looks like acting for the benefit of another. It looks like pushing aside our own self-importance and prioritizing the person next to us. It looks like humility and care and sacrifice. It looks like wanting goodness in our enemies' lives....even if they don't change. So my praying is intended to be an extension of that love. 

Jesus is inviting you into praying for goodness to fall on your enemies. He's asking you to start moving beyond the issue or conflict, and embracing them as co-humans once again. Jesus is inviting you to love them like God does. So when we do the hard thing and pray for our enemies, we don't simply pray that God sets them right. We pray that they experience the fullness and goodness of God's love and beauty and care.

Here's an awkward truth: On at least some level, you are likely on someone else's "enemy list". Keep that in mind. How would you want them to pray for you? What sorts of things would you want them to ask God for, as they bring you before the King of Love? What would you desire their posture to be, when they pray for their enemy and it's you? Let that instruct your prayers as well. 

Jesus, may your love and goodness fall on all those whom I am tempted to put on my enemy list today. 

Peace, 
Keith

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