LOVE YOUR ENEMIES!

“The true test of Christianity isn’t just loving Jesus. It’s loving Judas.”
—Kris Valloton

Jesus didn’t say, “LIKE your enemies…”
“TOLERATE your enemies…”
“IGNORE them…”
“ENDURE them…”
“PUT UP WITH them…”
“SHOUT THEM down…” or,
“SHUT THEM out…”

Incredibly, Jesus said, “…LOVE YOUR ENEMIES and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” —Matthew 5:44-45 NIV

It’s widely believed that Mark Twain, with tongue in cheek, once rephrased or tweaked this statement from Jesus as follows:

“Love your enemies, it will scare the hell out of them.” —Mark Twain

Perhaps Twain remembered the words of the wise man who wrote:

“If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. ²² You will HEAP BURNING COALS of SHAME on their heads, and the Lord will reward you.” —Proverbs 25:21-22 NLT

The Passion Translation renders that passage as follows:

“Is your enemy hungry? Buy him lunch. WIN HIM OVER with your KINDNESS. ²² Your surprising generosity will AWAKEN HIS CONSCIENCE and God will reward you with favor.”

LOVING YOUR ENEMY isn’t a sign of weakness.
It’s an indication of STRENGTH.
Extraordinary strength.

Unfortunately, I fail at “loving my enemies.”

I find it so incredibly easy to get frustrated, agitated, irritated, angry, judgmental, and harsh with my enemies. Most of the time, I just let all of that stuff simmer on the inside. Darkening my heart with the smoke of resentment and bitterness.

I find it easy for my imagination to drift into all kinds of revenge scenarios where like Maximus Decimus Meridius in Gladiator I take vengeance and retribution on my enemies.

I sometimes like to relish the idea of my enemies getting their comeuppance. In these fantasies, they end up looking like idiots while I walk away looking like the champion and hero.

Too many movies, I guess?

But then, JESUS SHATTERS MY SINFUL PRIDE, arrogance, and lust for payback, by not only TALKING about loving His enemies but actually LOVING THEM.

Even enemies like…JUDAS.

In a recent message, Kris Valloton made the following statement that stopped me in my tracks.

“The true test of Christianity isn’t just loving Jesus. It’s loving Judas.”
—Kris Valloton

I’m not certain I’ve ever considered that thought or idea.

But let’s consider it.  

The very night Judas BETRAYED Jesus, He washed the feet of His betrayer.

He shared a meal with this BACKSTABBER and DOUBLE-CROSSER.

Jesus extended one opportunity after another for Judas to CHANGE COURSE and REDIRECT his actions and life (John 13).

Jesus kept extending LOVE and GRACE to Judas right up until the very end when Judas sealed his own fate and destiny.

Jesus didn’t just TALK about loving enemies.
He did the hard work of actually LOVING THEM.

He loved the man who greeted him with a first-century sign of respect, honor, and brotherly affection — a kiss, only to sell him out and seal his fate (Mark 14:44; Luke 22:48).

He loved the man who promised to stand by and with him regardless of the cost (Matthew 26:33), only to cave when a couple of servant girls and a small group of bystanders asked him about his association with Jesus (Matthew 26:69-75).

He loved the group of men He had poured His very heart and soul into for three years, but who abandoned Him the night of His arrest (Mark 14:50-51).

Jesus even loved the guy who persecuted and put to death His followers (Acts 9). He transformed that man into an agent of grace and the Gospel (1 Timothy 1:12-17).

But I can’t stop with these stories from history.

Jesus loved me.

A man who has failed far more often than he has succeeded.
A man, who in ways that I care not to imagine or admit, has been an “enemy” to the very God and grace that have so lovingly pursued me.
Despite my sin, failures, betrayals, and ways that I’ve been His “enemy,” Jesus has REFUSED to GIVE UP on ME.

All of this prompts me to pause and ask myself:

“What about you, Chris?
Do you love your enemies?
Can you love them?
Will you love them?”

This doesn’t mean that I have to be best friends with them.

It doesn’t mean I need to invite them over for lunch this Sunday.

Some of my “enemies” and yours, too, may be dysfunctional and toxic.

Love doesn’t mean that we need to give them an arena to continue to perpetrate harm on us or those we love.

C.S. Lewis, in his book, God in the Dock, described love like this:

“Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person’s ultimate good as far as it can be obtained.” —C.S. Lewis

Can I love my enemies like that?

Can I pray for their “ultimate good as far as it can be obtained”?

Just before His arrest, Jesus met with his “friends” and gave them their marching orders:

Jesus: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” —John 13:34 NIV

THE QUESTION I must regularly answer is:

“Can I… Will I… love like Jesus…”

Because:

“The true test of Christianity isn’t just loving Jesus. It’s loving Judas.”
—Kris Valloton

Thank you, Kris, for the challenge:

“Heavenly Father, help me to remember, that ‘the true test of Christianity isn’t just how much I love Jesus. But how much I’ve allowed Jesus’ love to transform me so that I can love ‘my personal Judas’.

“Help me to love my ‘enemies.’

“Help me to truly love — not just with my words, but with my actions — those who have hurt, wounded, betrayed, or used me.

“Help me to love like Jesus.”

Amen.