Loving When I Don't Want to Love

One of the most prominent preachers and missionaries of the 20^th Century was a man by the name of Stephen Olford.  In one of his books, The Grace of Giving, Olford tells of a Baptist pastor during the American Revolution by the name of Peter Miller who lived in Ephrata, Pennsylvania.  Also in the same city was a man by the name of Michael Wittman who sought at every viable opportunity to belittle, oppose, and humiliate Pastor Miller.  Michael Wittman was arrested for treason and sentenced to die for his crimes but Pastor Miller could not stand by idle.  Since Miller had a special friendship with President George Washington, he decided to travel by foot the seventy miles to Philadelphia to plead for the life of the Wittman.  Upon hearing Miller’s plea for the life of Wittman, Pres. Washington replied, "I cannot grant you the life of your friend."  Immediately the minister proclaimed "My friend?  He's the bitterest enemy I have."  This response so shocked Washington that he granted the pardon based on Miller walking seventy miles to save the life of an enemy. Afterwards Peter Miller and Michael Wittman returned to Ephrata--no longer enemies but now a friends.

This is the epitome of what Jesus was describing in the Sermon on the Mount.  We read in Matthew 5:43-47,

"You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don't even the tax collectors do the same?   And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary?  Don't even the Gentiles do the same?”

Jesus is impressing on those listening as He teaches this introductory series that our outward actions must be preempted by an inward change.  He was not listing a set of regulations, but giving a rendering of how one’s heart should appear.  In talking about the passage Warren Wiersbe says that when we follow this model we exhibit three things in our lives.  First, we display spiritual maturity.  We show we have moved from the old nature, which would seek vengeance and restitution to forgiveness and love.  Secondly, we show that we are modeling our life after Jesus Christ, who displayed love toward His enemies, you and me, to win us back into a right relationship with Him.  (Ro. 5:10)  Then third, we will bear witness to a lost world that we are children of God.  In following this command of Jesus, He tells us to love them and pray for them.  This added element, to pray for them, is the avenue to loving them.  When we begin praying for our enemies then God will begin to transform our vengeful hearts to one of love.

In closing let me ask you to take a challenge for the next seven days.  Think of three people who you might consider an enemy or someone who has/is hurt/hurting you or someone close to you.  Instead of fuming over their actions why not take time to pray God’s richest blessings on them.  Don’t pray superficially or vaguely instead pray specifically.  Ask God to pour His greatest blessings on them as if you were asking Him to do it unto you.  While some may think this practice to be antiquated the truth is it is still needed greatly in our world.  The practice I am referring to is the Golden Rule which states, “…Whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them…” (Mt. 7:12)  John said in 1 John 4:8 “… let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

Church Family, I do love you!

 

Pastor Ric