Today’s readings are Proverbs 24-25, Psalm 41, and 1 Thessalonians 2.
Do you have enemies? I think most of us would likely say we don’t. When I think of an enemy, I usually think of someone who is really out to get me and maybe even is trying to cause me physical harm. However, some may say yes. Possibly it is an ex-significant other or spouse who is really making it difficult to move on and may even to be trying to keep new relationships from happening or trying to strain relationships with your children. Maybe it’s someone who is telling untrue things about you to others which could prevent you from a promotion at work or again is straining other relationships.
What is your posture towards these people when you see them? What are you thinking when you see their social media posts about their life, their family, and their successes? At a minimum you are likely not cheering them on to victories in their life and maybe even are ok with seeing them stumble a little bit. If you are like me, grace and forgiveness is difficult to those who have hurt you and pulling for them to succeed is an even higher bar that is very challenging for me to get to..and maybe even I’m ok with the ball not bouncing their way in full transparency.
The book of Proverbs is very clear though on the posture and behavior we should have towards our enemies…
“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
lest the Lord see it and be displeased,
and turn away his anger from him.”
Proverbs 24:17
This verse says God’s anger turns away from that person when you rejoice in their stumbling and although it doesn’t explicitly state God’s anger turns to you…one can almost infer that. Jesus explicitly warns in Matthew 7:3-5 that it is wrong to find a speck in someone else’s eye because you are ignoring the plank in yours. In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus also talks about a Pharisee who said he was glad he was not like other sinners, including the tax collector near him. The last verse, Luke 18:14 says, “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” How can I love my enemies more? I can start by noticing the grime and yuck of my sin and the grace and forgiveness Jesus has given me when I don’t deserve it.
The next chapter in Proverbs has another verse about our enemies which says we shouldn’t stop at giving them grace and forgiveness.
“If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
for your will heap burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.”
Proverbs 25:21-22
Blessing someone who has wronged me is another level of grace and forgiveness which can seem nearly impossible for me to get to. As I reflect though, isn’t that what Jesus did for me?
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8