“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
If you ever wanted a definition of sacrificial love - here it is. In the context of a relationship with an enemy the Lord instructs us to treat them like they are a close friend. His words are so radical in that they shed a whole new light on forgiveness and what it means to lay our lives down for others. He offers us no excuse for hate or unforgiveness.
The golden rule is perhaps one of the most powerful principles in the bible because it helps us to love our neighbors as ourselves. If we all simply treated everyone (even those who hate us) the way that we wanted to be treated there would be no wars and, in essence, no enemies. Jesus lived this out to its fullest extent when he died for his enemies on the cross.
Help me to live like I have no enemies Lord. Teach me how to really love.
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