LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” We must also learn the difficult lesson of how to love the enemies that are within us and the way we persecute ourselves. Then we can move on to others who also might be enemies and persecutors. We are not to just stay focused on dealing with our internal condition and ourselves but it must come first. Many times trying to love others is only an escape from not loving our enemies within.

An enemy is a person who actively opposes someone or something. The Latin word inimicus, (our common word is inimical: hostile, tending to obstruct, harm, unfriendly) meaning “hostile, unfriendly,” is the root of enemy: an enemy is “not a friend.” Or, one that is antagonistic to another especially: one seeking to injure, overthrow, or confound an opponent. When this kind of stuff goes on inside of us we have some unfriendly patterns, ideas, thoughts and tendencies. They are enemies to our better and loving self. Until they are loved away they will continue their unfriendly presence.

“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.” Jesus