Love Your Enemies

“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” (Matt. 5:43-48 ESV).

Sometimes when you’re raising children, you wonder if all those lessons you try to teach them are sinking in. (Actually, today is one of those days!) Then, every once in a while, a little light breaks through to show you that they do, indeed, “get it.”

Last night my husband took our daughters to a local Daddy Daughter dance, which meant I got some rare one-on-one time with our son. We did some “boy” things together—he’s a big fan of computer games—and then we snuggled on the couch.

Somehow, in the dim glow of the Christmas lights, the conversation turned to enemies. He began talking about battles, another big fascination of his, but then said something surprising. 

“But Mommy, I’m going to love my enemies. After I fight them, I’m going to love them.”

As I chuckled inwardly and let that sink in, he went on, “My little sister said she hates enemies. I asked her if she could love enemies instead. She gets it now.”