Key Verse: Verse 35 – “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil."
Key Words: love ye your enemies
It is important to remember that righteousness is living your life on a level with God’s Word. It’s doing those things which are acceptable to God, and “love your enemies” just happens to be one of those things.
It’s interesting to me that it’s not “love your enemy” but rather “love your enemies.” I am convinced that when you love God with all your heart, you will automatically have enemies: many out of the church, and some maybe even within the church. But having enemies is inevitable in God’s service.
In his book, The Grace of Giving, Stephen Olford tells of a Baptist pastor during the American Revolution named Peter Miller who lived in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, and enjoyed the friendship of George Washington.
In the same town also lived Michael Wittman, an evil-minded man who did all he could to oppose and humiliate the pastor whenever he had the chance. One day Michael Wittman was arrested for treason and sentenced to die. Peter Miller traveled seventy miles on foot to Philadelphia to plead for General George Washington to spare the life of the traitor.
“No, Peter,” General Washington said. “I cannot grant you the life of your friend.”
“My friend?” exclaimed the old preacher. “He’s the bitterest enemy I have!”
“What?” cried Washington. “You’ve walked seventy miles to save the life of an enemy? That puts the matter in different light. I’ll grant your pardon.” And he did.
Peter Miller took Michael Wittman back home to Ephrata—no longer an enemy but a friend.
What to do:
✞Remember, it’s right to love your enemies but it’s certainly not easy.
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