Photo Credit: Nicola Fioravanti
"Love your enemies"
WWJD is the acronym for “What Would Jesus Do.” And whoever came up with that phrase is a genius. Don’t you agree? Still, he/she couldn’t have coined it all by themselves. I believe it was inspired by the Holy Spirit. Apostle Paul once said, ‘follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.’ — 1 Corinthians 11:1. Christ remains our ultimate example. And part of what the Lord is leading us to discover on this journey with Ancient Truths is just that — Looking unto Jesus (our ultimate example) the author and finisher of our faith! — Hebrews 12:2
In Matthew 5:43-45, Jesus tells us:
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 children 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.
I know that we usually have a hard time playing the WWJD card when faced with mean, malicious, and hateful people. It is usually a struggle. It is easier to love pleasant, and well- meaning people. But what does Jesus have to say about that?
Matthew 5:46-47
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 own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
Here’s another way to look at it? What then is the price in taking up your cross and following Jesus if you will only love those who are kind to you? If you will only greet those who greet you? If you will only be kind to those who are nice to you? What then is the price for taking up the cross? Why then did Jesus have to die? Was His death in vain?
Absolutely not!
What then is required of us?
Matthew 5:48, Jesus states the benchmark:
Be ye perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.
Could Jesus be mincing words here? I doubt. He is not a shifting shadow. He has commanded us saying; Let your yes be yes, and your no, no. (Matthew 5:37)
If He says be perfect as God your Father is perfect, then that is exactly what He means.
And He demonstrated it didn’t He?
Luke 23:33-34
When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals — one on His right, the other on His left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His clothes by casting lots.
Jesus didn’t only lay the benchmark, He set an example. Right there at the most torturous moments of His life on earth, He prayed for His enemies. He could do that because He loved them.
We cannot do what Jesus would do if we cannot love as He loved. And we cannot give what we do not have. Unless the love of God dwells in us richly, we cannot give it nor lavish it like He lavishes His sun and His rain on both evil and good. We cannot be perfect without His love dwelling in us.
Romans 5:5
And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
God’s benchmark for us Christians is His Love-standard. If we compromise on that we’ve compromised everything. We must love in spite of the thorns. Selah.
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