Helping...your enemies?

It's easy to be nice to someone who is nice to you.

But it's oh so much harder to show kindness to someone who has shown you bitter anger, or has caused you pain. The people who have looked for ways to make you look bad, to make your life 'a living hell' in some ways.

How could you be nice to them? Isn't that being a hypocrite? Why would you want to be kind to them? What have they ever done for you to deserve your being good to them? They are awful!!!

I know these feelings and questions all too well; we all do. After all, we're human, and as such we have at one time or another struggled with the concept of showing kindness or 'love' towards those we deem as undeserving. But what about when we try to look at it from God's perspective?

Are we 'deserving' of God's loving kindness? Are we always 'good' and 'kind' to others, and therefore we merit God's 'goodness - blessings'? If you like me had to answer 'no' to that question, then we have to realize that if we want God to show us mercy and grace, we should be willing to show it to others. Especially when it's hard to do so!

The Bible says this about our enemies:

'Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him. Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.' Proverbs 24: 17-20

'If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.' Proverbs 25: 21-22

This needs to be what we remember when we deal with our enemies, not what we want to do, but what God has told us to do. Don't be happy if things go wrong for others - and - show kindness to everyone. Do these things for everyone, whether friend or foe, do what God has asked of you and all will go well for you.

The bible said that in showing kindness, 'the Lord will reward you' - I like that! Don't you?

It also said that those that are evil 'have no future hope' and that their lamp (light or life) would be 'snuffed out'... how sad to have no 'hope' when we as children of God have an assurance. How sad to have this life be all there is, without ever knowing an everlasting joy of love and eternity with God our Heavenly Father.

So my friends, yes - let's help our enemies. How? Pray for them, and if the opportunity arises to do anyone a kindness, do it! No matter who they are - be who you are meant to be - a child of God, who shows His light and love to the world!