I am struggling today. I am feeling the weight of the reality of how messed up things in this world really are. I have read about a grandmother who took her six year old grandson into the bathroom and locked the door and killed him while he screamed for his life and his eight year old brother tried to help him. I have seen videos of children being shot in the head (children just like my children) for not being Muslim. I can’t handle it. I can’t.
What do we do with things like this?
I know my reaction is to hate. I mean really, really hate. I have immense hatred that wells up in my heart against the people who do these kinds of things. I want them dead. I want them dead. I hate them. How could people be so evil?
Jesus taught us: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?”
In America we apply this verse to when someone says something mean about us on social media or, at worst, when we don’t get a job because they discriminated against us for being a Christian. We have no idea. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you gets real when they start torturing you and killing your kids.
I haven’t even come close to experiencing this first hand and I already hate the people who do such wicked things. But Jesus tells us to love. How can Jesus do that? Doesn’t he see how evil these people are? Doesn’t he know they deserve to die for what they have done? Of course he does. Of course they do.
But lest we forget what the Bible tells us:
As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
Do we think this is talking about “them”? Yes. But have we so soon forgotten that we were them? This is the description of all mankind apart from Christ. We are no different, no less wicked than the people we condemn as deserving hell. Do they deserve death and hell? Yes! But so do we.
As I look upon these sinful and murderous people and I feel hate I am completely wrong headed. Because those whom I hate Jesus says “Love.” Those whom I hate are just like me without Christ. Those whom I hate are people to whom Christ offers forgiveness and eternal life if they will but repent and believe the gospel. And I know the gospel and they do not.
You might think that in some way you are, even apart from Christ, superior to this wicked people. You would be wrong. You and I, given the right (or wrong) upbringing, indoctrination, and culture could be the very same as the people we now look upon with hate. You are indeed capable of unspeakable evil. If you’re honest you know how dark and twisted your heart is and how badly you need Jesus in your life.
God will deal out justice in the end. In the meantime he offers mercy, forgiveness and a new heart to all who will come to Jesus. This is why he says “love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you” because he is asking us to extend the same mercy and grace unto death that Jesus offered for us. “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
What is the best way to stop persecution? The salvation of those doing the persecuting. Unrelenting love even for those who take the life of those you love and even your own life. This is what Jesus has called Christians to. Jesus doesn’t ask any more of us than what he himself willingly did for you and for me.
Father forgive me for my hatred. Help me to love the ungodly just as you loved me before I was righteous in you.
