Love Your Enemies

Salem Bible Study
Teachings on Community
Luke 6:27-36 (The Message)

Love for Enemies

 ²⁷"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ²⁹If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. ³⁰Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. ³¹Do to others as you would have them do to you.  ³²"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. ³³And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. ³⁴And 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. ³⁵But 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 sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

For Reflection: To what extent do you expect rewards for good behavior?  To what extent do you place conditions (actual or implied) on what you do for others?  Vengeance kills not only the person or group who is the target of retaliation, but it also kill those who hold the vendetta.  Does "an eye for an eye" ever fit into the gift of love?

Pray for those who are the targets of vendetta all over the world to avoid hateful responses.  Pray that they have the courage to walk into a new vendetta free life. Pray for those who hold a grudge that they will see the folly in their actions. Pray to give with out expectation for a return.