Enemy Love

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” (Matt. 5:44-45)

In small group discussions around the proposed purpose and guiding principles for St. Luke’s Zion, a number of situations were mentioned in which it might be really difficult to share God’s love.  Several people mentioned that if somebody had committed a crime against them or had hurt a member of their family, they would not be looking to share any sort of love with that person – God’s or otherwise.  They are not alone in having this response.

Last year, as part of the Trinity Institute that I attended, one of the speakers (Derek Flood) addressed the whole idea of enemy love and restorative justice.  He said that in spite of Jesus’ teachings and actions, we don’t really believe in enemy love.  Instead, we prefer “an eye for an eye” and retributive justice.  He also got into the satisfaction theory of the atonement, but I’m not going to go that route at the moment.

Certainly, biblically speaking, Jesus not only teaches people to love their enemies, but he himself prays for those who crucify him.  “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Lk. 23:34).  Then, in Acts, one of Jesus’ followers does the same thing.  As Stephen is being stoned to death, he asks God to forgive those who are stoning him (Acts 7:60).

I have heard people say that this is fine themselves.  However, while for people in the Bible, but they could never do it enemy love is not easy by any means, there are real life examples of people who choose forgiveness over hatred and who choose restorative justice over retribution.  In doing so, they are following the example of Jesus and acting as God’s children, as Matthew 5 reminds us.  For God “makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (5:45).  In other words, God gives the same blessings to everyone.

This year at our mid-week Lenten services, we will hear some of the stories of people who have practiced enemy love and who have worked for restorative justice.  Some of these stories might be familiar to you, and some might be stories that you haven’t heard before.  However, each story will help us to reflect on what it means to love your enemies and what it means to follow Jesus.

There is no question that enemy love goes against every instinct that we have.  There are so many hurts that people carry with them in this world, and sometimes love and forgiveness seem simply inconceivable.  Yet, those who have managed to love and forgive will tell you that they are the ones who were set free by doing so.  After all, would Jesus really teach something that is both impossible and harmful to our health?

And so, do some thinking about whether you believe in enemy love or not.  Do some thinking about what restorative justice might look like instead of retribution.  For while we still were enemies of God, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:10).

                        In Christ,

                        Pastor Lynne Hutchison