The Test of Love (Matt. 5:43-48)
Read Matthew 5:43-48 and then paraphrase in your own words what Jesus said. What's the main point Jesus is telling us about love?
If we are to love our enemies, we had better discover who exactly are our enemies. If an enemy is only the one who threatens your life, you may think this text doesn't apply to you, inasmuch as you probably have not had your life threatened lately.
But by definition, an enemy is an opponent, a rival, a competitor, a challenger, a contender. An enemy is one who hates you or who mistreats you. It might even be a spouse or another member of the family. There may be times when a family member isn't very loving. He or she may even look for ways to irritate you or worse. When that happens, it is easy to get caught in the trap of retaliation and pettiness.
Sometimes you may experience conflict on the job, and those you have worked with side by side over the years may begin to think of you as an opponent. An enemy could be someone you have cared a great deal for or may even be someone in your church.
We need to realize that the enemy Jesus referred to is not limited to someone who would threaten our lives but is anyone who causes us enough consternation to tempt us to retaliate.
Read Proverbs 15:1, 25:21, and 1 Peter 3:9. How do these texts help us understand this important principle regarding love?
Loving our enemies? Many folk have a hard time showing love to their friends, much less their enemies. How can we learn to follow Jesus' example here? How can our hearts be changed so that we can love our enemies? How might praying for them play a large role in helping us reach this Christian ideal?
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