Love Your Enemies...even if you don't want to!

What do you do when your enemies are revealed to you? When people you once truly valued, honored, and sincerely cared for have now become a secret murderer of your name and your character? HOW do you still show up in spaces where they might be and love them?

Luke 6:32 “If you love only those who love you, should you get any special praise for doing that? No, even sinners love those who love them! 33 If you do good only to those who do good to you, should you get any special praise for doing that? No, even sinners do that! 34 If you lend things to people, always expecting to get something back, should you get any special praise for that? No, even sinners lend to other sinners so that they can get back the same amount!

I had to sit with this scripture for a little bit and really let it speak to my heart. I'm 'still' sitting with it because I need it to continue to speak to my heart......so that I don't expose people for exactly who they are! Don't you dare raise your eyebrow and act like I'm saying something that you yourselves aren't tempted to do from time to time. It happens to all of us and the closer and deeper the hurt and pain is, the more we want to expose them...but that's not Christ-like at all. It's not Christ-like to become the very thing that's coming against you. So what do you do?

Crucify the flesh and know that God is the 'safest place' to get it off your chest!!! We must also realize that it's not really YOU that offends them. It's not! If you are 'truly' being who and what God has created and called you to be and do, then people who are not being who God has called and created them to be are jealous and envious of you and very unhappy with themselves. It's a biblical truth that this happens and that it is a reality.

*Ask Abel - Genesis 4:1-16

*Ask Esau - Genesis 25:19-34

*Ask Rachel - Genesis 29:15-35

*Ask David - 1 Samuel 15

*Ask the Prodigal Son - Luke 15:11-32 **I admonish you to read this one**

See, you're not alone in this. You're in the lineup of good company. Even Jesus experienced envious hate without cause - John 15:18-27. This is very very important for us to know, understand and walk in because 'in this life' we are promised unjust persecution, character assassination, betrayal, and a host of other evil things that the world has to offer. We can either take the offer and give it right back, or we can remain as crucified with Christ as we can be and cling to the promise He offers - He'll set up a table in the presence of your enemies. NOT for you to gloat, but for you to be reminded that you are the called, the beloved, and the chosen of Him! He sees, He knows and He cares!

Stand fast and keep the faith! xo