Loving enemies?

I have heard the taunts of Moab and the revilings of the Ammonites, how they have taunted my people and made boasts against their territory. Therefore, as I live,” declares the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Moab shall become like Sodom, and the Ammonites like Gomorrah, a land possessed by nettles and salt pits, and a waste forever. The remnant of my people shall plunder them, and the survivors of my nation shall possess them.” This shall be their lot in return for their pride, because they taunted and boasted against the people of the Lord of hosts. (Zephaniah 2:8–10)

God hears the taunts and insults that people make against His people. Some sneer as if His children are stupid or foolish, as if our values and priorities have no value at all. This can be discouraging if I listen to them instead of the words of God. 

The people who do this might feel superior, as did the enemies of His OT people, but God promises to deal with them. At that time, it was to make losers out of them, wasting their efforts and prosperity, even allowing His people to plunder them.

I don’t think that is how I should deal with those who taunt my faith and ideas. God tells me:

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:43–48)

In a parallel passage, He adds these ways to show love: “Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.”

He challenges me that loving those who treat me well is no different from sinners. I’m to do this even if there is no benefit to me at all. God will reward me and I will be more like Him when I do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, am kind to the ungrateful and even evil people. I’m to be merciful, as He is merciful, without judging or condemning. He even says how I give will be given to me in good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over because the measure I use will be measured back to me. (Luke 6:27–38)

My sinful nature wants to get even, tell others in an effort to seek sympathy, and even ask God to break that person for their thoughtless and mean ways. Sigh.

Jesus, it seems that in every relationship that no matter what the other person does to me that hurts, I’ve something to change in myself. I’m glad that You do not put me on the receiving end of conflict unless it is to instruct me how to be more like You. 

Reflecting His Image

On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather (manna), but they found none. And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? See! The Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.” So the people rested on the seventh day. (Exodus 16:27–30)

God's Word is clear that God created people in His image. That signifies that we reflect that image or echo or display it. Of course sin mars it and doing our own thing replaces it. 

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)

By the gift of redemption through the death of His Son, and by the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, it is possible to be like Him.

. . . .  let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:43–48)

How is that possible? Only because God knows our hearts and needs. He knows how to make life a classroom. Our challenge is to listen and obey as He works: 

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:28–29)

As for the Sabbath, think of this as imitating God. He wasn’t tired and needed a nap every seventh day, but to be like Him, I am to stop the regular activities of life and totally trust Him for my needs that one day — which is another classroom. In keeping this command, He teaches me to trust Him for other things, even all things, even all day. Far too often, it is this inner nagging that says “I must get this done” that keeps me from doing the will of God, the inner nagging that comes from sin that rises up and is full of ideas that reflect my desires rather than the will of God.

Yes, Sabbath is a physical rest, but as the NT brings out, it points to resting in Christ, trusting Him in every area of life. The Gospel declares it and the Sabbath is the place to start learning it.

For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:8–11)

Jesus, most teaching on Sabbath rest can be the extreme of doing nothing that involves physical effort, or even fun, or just doing something different, or napping, or other visible activities. I can see now that it is a classroom where You want to teach me to fully trust You for everything rather than having this DIY mentality. It is a learning curve to stop my efforts to be like You and instead trust You with the transformation. I could say more but can only think how badly I want to be a more faithful student who cares deeply that I reflect You to this dark world.

 

Expressing Love?

If a child is disobedient, some think discipline is needed while others criticize discipline as abuse. In today’s devotional, John Piper writes about limits to love. Perhaps a better term would be ‘expressions of love.’ If children are loved, parents do not want them to grow up thinking it is okay to do bad things. God is like that with me. Although He accepted me as a selfish, sinful person, He loves me too much to leave me that way. 

The question is, how does He express that love? I’ve often said, sometimes it is with a hug and sometimes it is with a 2 by 4. For instance, I remember hubby sending me on an errand that I didn’t want to do. When I got to the place of business, the owner came out with the items I was to pick up and he was homely, smelly, and repulsive. Then he said something that glorified God. I felt hugged by his words and kicked in the head at the same time for my attitude. 

In other situations my sinful attitudes were more serious. God loved me to repentance by allowing me to experience the consequences of my selfishness. Ugh! Even though He didn’t publicly shame me (love expressed), He taught me lessons and keeps working to rid me of thinking, saying, or doing things that are shameful. Again, those harsh lessons are rooted in love.

Piper asks, how do God’s command to love others, even our enemies, work toward loving incorrigible sinners? Jesus said, 

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:43–48)

Add to that these words about how to treat those who hurt us:

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:19–21)

God may be planning vengeance according to His wisdom and justice, or He may use acts of love for enemies to turn their hearts toward Him. This is not for me to decide. I’m simply to love others, all of them.

And yet Piper points out that forgiveness has a line that should not be crossed, at least in regard to praying for someone who is in sin: 

If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death. (1 John 5:16–17)

God knows who has a heart of stone and totally refuses His goodness and grace. I don’t know that. Therefore, it is not up to me to judge, but pray — at least until He indicates otherwise. His love may mean He is at work in that person to rescue them, but it may mean that He has reserved them for judgment. 

PRAY: Lord, all this means paying attention to Your Spirit and allowing You to direct love and the expression of it. You sometimes surprise me with grace to forgive and even grace to rebuke. I’m to speak the truth in love, and that means knowing truth, and knowing how to express it as You want me to. Sometimes it is the opposite of what I think it should be.

Hearing what He says

 

 

A video shows small children, even babies, who were deaf and given aids to hearing. For the first time they can hear the voices of their parents and their faces are alive with joy. I’ve also met a child who was kept quiet since a babe because his parents were in hiding. Now free, he can speak but does not know how. I complain at times that I am not heard, but I know nothing about communication problems compared to these little ones.

It is not a surprise that the word for SAY or utter or speak is the most common verb in the OT. God is a communicator and we are made in His image, made to communicate. Even with the disaster of Babylon, the world is involved in learning how to talk to those of other languages. Learning to express our ideas and feelings is a big part of education. Learning the other side of it, to listen, is also a vital part of human life.

“Speak, Lord, for thy servant listens” is an important prayer. Realizing that the writers of Scripture had a commitment and said, “As the Lord lives, what my God says, that I will speak” is also vital. Even more important to all of life is saying this and meaning it: “Whatever the Lord our God says, declare to us and we will do it.” If being heard is important to me, how much more does my Creator want me to do more than merely hear Him but to also do what He says to me.

Think of the power of His words. He said, “Let there be light” and “there was light.” He spoke promises to His people, promises and covenants that have been kept. He warned them of disaster when they didn’t listen and those disasters happened. We humans speak and try to influence others with our words but we do not have the power and control that the words of God have. Compared to Him, we mutter and babble.

In the NT, the word for say and its variations is about expressing oneself orally or in writing, in specific ways and to inform others, even to call or name something. It is about asking and replying and about making declarations. Many times Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you . . . .” to tell His followers something of importance to their lives. Often His instructions were, “But I say to you . . . .” as He showed them the contrast between human and sinful ways of thinking compared to the way that God speaks. For instance . . .

Matthew 5:43–48. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

In this, Jesus is saying that to be a complete person and without defect, I’m to be like Him, like God. The good news is that because He died for my sin and offers new life, His life, to me, this is possible. Faith begins the transformation and even though it will not be complete until I see Him face to face, because of this “Word of God made flesh” I and all of His followers can do what God says. Without Him and the power of His Holy Spirit, this never happens.

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. Focusing on Jesus is impossible without reading and hearing what He says. His Word is the agent by which He transforms His people. Peter said it well:

1 Peter 1:22–23. “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.”

The Bible also says that “faith comes by hearing.” I need to be a good listener to what God says. Also, I know my heart tends to follow whatever my eyes and ears prioritize. Whatever Jesus says is life-changing for those who hear Him, believe Him, and do what He says. These are good reasons to give attention to Jesus, yet the best reason is His love, love expressed in all that He does and every word He says.