Enemies: Who?

Scripture/Bible: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 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. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matt 5:43-48

Reflection:  In life we could have many enemies, they are generally people who think evil of us or do harm to us or work out wicked plans to destroy us or our reputation.  Sometimes the hostility from such enemies never keeps ceasing. 

There are some who become our enemies because we oppose their evil cause or because we act as mirrors to their conscience and hence they are unable to stand our presence.  Then there are some who for no reason and maybe even in ignorance can be acting like enemies.  There is also the most subtle form of enmity by the do-gooders who by their good or sincere action in all ignorance of heart and mind can act as enemies. 

These details could go on and in actual reality, if one really gives it a thought and reflects, and then it is difficult to classify an enemy.  We may fail to see that our well meaning and good-intentioned friend has acted like an enemy. We are many a times the greatest enemy of ourselves, this is because we work as enemies of God who sustains us. 

Only with God’s help, who alone knows the heart of every creature, we will be able to discern our true enemy and only with his presence with us that their evil actions will be made to work for our good. Rm. 8:28

In Christ Jesus we have a perfect example of a well intentioned person, with the purest motives and our absolute good in mind becoming an enemy of the masses, to be hated and ridiculed and ultimately crucified and this trend to a large extent still continues with him and with his followers.  Almost over 80 % of the persecutions in the world are faced by Christians.

We as sinners tend to work as enemies of God and the truth. (Rm. 8:7; Col. 1:21; Jas. 4:4)

Jesus being victim and at the same time knowing the human heart, which even in ignorance and indifference acts as an enemy of God still invites his followers to imitate him in what he once taught while on earth.

Prayer:  "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."  Luke 23:34

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