July 10, 2020
But I say to you, love thy enemies and pray for those who persecute you… Matthew 5:44
To love seems like such an easy thing to do, and in many cases it is, especially with God, family, and friends. But what about with people who are different or disagree or try to hurt us, or persecute us for who we are…is it as easy?
Whenever this troubles me, I remember my paternal grandfather and a lesson I learned from him after his death. In his twenties during World War II, my grandfather was drafted into the Army. Like many his age, he was unsure of the people he would encounter. My grandfather was one of the lucky ones who came back from the war. He never spoke of it much at all. But after his death, my father found my grandpa’s military-issued Bible, which easily fell open to a passage he must have read and reread countless times: “love thy enemy.” Finding his Bible marked at this passage was a reminder that we need to love all people no matter what. Whatever occurs, we still need to love them, which is hard and something we all need to work on.
Dear Lord, during difficult and trying times please remind us of these simple words to love our enemies. Let us fight hatred and persecution with love and to turn to you always to find peace! Amen.
Colleen Wiley