Welcome Enemies!

This morning while I was walking, I past a house that was very nicely landscaped and had a lovely sign sitting in the middle of the flower garden that said "Welcome Friends." I began to laugh to myself thinking about it saying "Welcome Enemies" because it was just yesterday that I read a passage from Matthew 5: 43-48. It is the familiar passage of Jesus' words that we are to love our enemies. He says "And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others?" In other words, most everyone loves their friends and those who love them but do they love those who are unlovely or an enemy to them?

It is very difficult for all of us to show love to someone who curses us, hates us, spitefully uses us and persecutes us. Hopefully that doesn't describe too many people in your life but Jesus is making the point that we do have those people in our lives and we are not to shut them out and turn our backs on them. Actually there may be someone who has not treated you wrongfully but you don't like them. Maybe you don't like their skin color or nationality if you are honest. Maybe you don't like the side of town they come from. Perhaps they are married to your son or daughter and you just don't think they are good enough for them and never will be.

There were many years when my own Father was my enemy. My parents divorced when I was 5 years old. He made my life miserable. Then when the Lord came into my life I realized I had a responsibility to be kind to him for the sake of showing him the love of Christ. I did not reach out to him in my own strength. In my own strength I hated him. It was Christ who did that work in my heart. By the time he passed away he had come to faith in Jesus Christ.

I realize we are not going to hang a pretty sign in our yard that says "Welcome Enemies" but our hearts should always be willing to open the door to our enemies for the purpose of showing them the love of Christ. We cannot do it on our own but the power of the resurrected Christ can and will do it in us.

In this passage in Matthew Jesus finishes out by saying "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."