Posted on 11/07/2006 7:28:17 AM PST by Quix
Was Jesus Just Kidding?
Brenda Davis
Love My Enemy? Youve got to be kidding!! Jesus was kidding wasnt he? That was then not now right? He didnt mean me did he? I dont have to listen to this part to be a Christian do I? Nobody does this do they?
Jesus replied, Look at the scripture.
How did I deal with Judas? How did I treat him?
How did I deal with the apostles who wouldnt even stay awake to pray with me?
How did I deal with them when they wouldnt listen to Marys account of my resurrection?
How did I deal with Peters betrayal?
How did I deal with Thomas doubt?
How did I deal with the soldiers who arrested me?
How did I deal with those who crucified me?
How did I deal with Paul who persecuted and killed those dear to me?
How did I deal with those apostles closest to me when they abandoned me in my time of need?
How did I deal with the prostitute?
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Matthew 5: 43-45
~JESUS~
END TIMES/DREAMS/VISIONS/PROPHECY
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Love is action, and not necessarily feeling (thank goodness, or my teens would have been put up for adoption! LOL!)
Or, according to the old saying, the proof is in the pudding.
You know you are acting with love when you act lovingly, even when you don't feel very lovey-dovey.
And that's the hard thing about the Christian walk - remembering that loving your neighbor isn't necessarily about hugs and feel good moments, but about acting with care and the knowledge that no matter how bad or wicked or painful he is, he is one of God's children, and behaving accordingly.
To do that takes the help of God.
INDEED
Borrowing from the excellent book on co-dependency:
LOVE IS A CHOICE
. . . to be loving by God's grace and help . . .
and to DO LOVING.
He set a high standard.
But he set a perfect example!
He set a high standard.
But he set a perfect example!
= = = =
INDEED.
AND
He sent His Spirit to enable . . . us . . . to match His standard more and more.
A mother loves ALL of her children she just doesn't LIKE them when they misbehave.
This is the only way that we keep from drowning them. LOL
The same goes for humanity. We just dont have to LIKE everyone, that would be impossible. Jesus wouldnt give us impossible assignments like that.
Unfortunately, many people dont seem to know the difference between LOVE and LIKE.
Thanks for the ping!
True enough.
Though loving folks long enough usually results in our finding something we can like about them.
thanks for the ping!!!
The doormat issue is an interesting one.
The Cross was worse than a doomat.
Yet, a wimpy, passive, passive/aggressive victim-mentality door-mat-ism is not, per se, Biblical, imho.
But, we must be ready to be and do as God requires of us . . . including things which MIGHT look like being a door mat for a season.
But not out of sick psychology motivations.
Thanks for stopping by.
Agreed.
And, a certain quality of love requires a fitting amount of knowledge about the individual--if one is going to love in more than abstract terms.
. . . Which . . . is the call . . . The Good Samaratin vs the ones passing by on the other side of the road.
Doormat is probably the wrong term. Loving your enemies does not mean doing everything they say. Half my church is my enemy. They want to destroy my Pastor's ministry. I still love them all but I will not join them in their recall vote.
Yuck.
Those situations are always sooooooooo messy.
And lots more heat than light.
Usually plenty of egos involved . . . though blaming theology or wounded egos or morals or whatever . . . though sometimes there are real problems . . . I think usually it's some sort of water gun contest. Sadly.
In our case it is the sword of spirit making social club pew sitters uncomfortable.
I think that's true, too.
Thanks.
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