Bible Verse of the Day Monday April 5th 2021

Matthew 5:43-44-“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

One day at a diner, a fatigued truck driver had stopped for some much-needed rest and to grab a bite to eat. A group from a traveling motorcycle gang came in and started giving the truck driver a hard time. They then poured his drink over his head and tore open his hamburger and dropped the ingredients in his lap. The driver never said a word, just paid his bill and walked out. One of the motorcycle gang members commented to the waitress that he was not much of a man. The food server said he was not much of a truck driver either, he just ran over five motorcycles on his way out of the parking lot.

It is in our human nature to want to get back at someone that has done wrong towards us. Human nature tells us to get revenge! The ways of the world tells us when someone messes with us; we are going to show them they cannot get away with hurting us. As humans, we believe that if we seek revenge, they will somehow leave us alone. Human reasoning tells us that revenge is sweet and will at least make us feel better. Nothing could be farther from the truth; hatred is a dangerous tool that Satan will use to destroy us.

Somehow the idea that we are supposed to love our enemies seems almost impossible. How can we love someone that wants to harm us? It is easy to love someone who returns our love but loving someone who wants to hurt or tear us down seems like a foreign concept. Then Jesus comes along and throws a cog in the wheel by saying that we are supposed to love even those that do not love us, those that want to cause us harm, our enemies.  The follower and believer in Christ Jesus should love others unconditionally, as Jesus has shown us in His earthly ministry.

Love for someone we feel has done us wrong is love for somebody who does not merit our affection. Individuals do not need to justify love from us. We love our adversaries on the guideline of the love and grace of God. This affection does not rely upon the other person's actions; it depends upon us, not them! We do not treat individuals based on who they are or what they have done, but according to the precepts of the truth of God's Word.

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