Love Your Enemies - Luke 6:27

The beloved physician Luke shared how Jesus said, “woe unto you that are rich! for you have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full! for you shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for you shall mourn and weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets”, and in chapter six and verse twenty-seven of his book Luke shares how Jesus said, “love your enemies, do good to them which hate you” where we read:

But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

The verse reads, “But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, ...” Luke began with the words, “but I say unto you which hear” or “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover Jesus utters, declares and proclaim to people who listen, attend to and consider what Jesus says”, “love” which means “welcome, entertain, be fond of, be pleased and contented with” “your enemies” or “the people in the crowd's foes, people who hate and oppose them and are hostile to them”. Luke shared how Jesus taught the people in the crowd that if they “listened and attended” to Him carefully” they would “unconditionally love” people who “hated” and were “hostile” toward them.

The verse goes on to say, “... do good to them which hate you,” Luke continued with the words, “do good to them” which means “and perform and produce beautifully, finely, excellently, well and rightly to people whether male or female” “which hate you” or “who are odious toward, detest and persecute the people in the crowd”. Luke shared how Jesus said people who were “hated” by others were to “perform good” to them.

When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn one of the most difficult principles Jesus spoke about when He was upon the earth. Rather than “hate their enemies”, those who followed Jesus were to “love” them. Loving people who love you is natural, and most people can function in this manner. However, “loving enemies” is contrary to everything within us. God loves people even when they are as “enemies” to Him, and He continues to “do good” to people when they “hate” Him. God knows our need for a “Savior and Lord” and He can produce in us the ability to “love” people who are foes. When a person yields their life to Jesus, He will equip them to do what they would never be able to accomplish on their own.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus says, “bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".