Even those who persecute you

 Even those who persecute you

Jesus said,

“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 sons 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.” Matthew 5:43-45.

This can be hard, especially from a Christian stand point where true love as defined by the apostle Paul is,

"Love is patient, love is kind. 

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, 

it is not easily angered, 

it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil 

but rejoices with the truth.  

It always protects, 

always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails....

And now these three remain: 

faith, hope and love. 

But the greatest of these is love."  

                                                           1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13

Are you loving those around you, even those who persecute you?

Please think about it.

It's hard but we have to

  It’s hard but we have to

Jesus said,

"You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.'  

But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons 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.  

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  

And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?  

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" Matthew 5:43-48.

Do you love your enemy or those who persecute them. Jesus said we should. He didn’t say we should love the things our enemies of persecutors do. But rather we are to love the person.

It is the Christians duty to love those who dislike him.

The late great American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. said,

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; 

only light can do that.

 Hate cannot drive out hate; 

only love can do that.” 

                                                        Martin Luther King, Jr.

So the question becomes do you love your enemies and persecutors?

Please think about it.