The hatred and violence shown in the media breaks my heart. People are murdering each other with weapons and words. Some people are proudly uttering statements like “They got what they deserved” or “I hope they die”. Hatred and violence do not care one bit about race, color, class, gender, or anything else. Their purpose is to kill, steal and destroy anything good.
If we are not careful, those of us who love Jesus can easily get lured into that same destructive spirit. In Luke 9:54, when the Samaritan village refused to welcome Jesus and His travelers, James and John said “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Some manuscripts add “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.”
It is in our nature to want justice and revenge. But Jesus calls us to a higher way of living. He commands us to do what is not natural for us to do; love our enemies. His word says in Matthew 5:43-48:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father 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 have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore, you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Ask yourself today, “Are my actions and words showing love to my neighbor? Or am I destroying my neighbor with my actions and words?”