Enemies

            Some funny things have happened to me while in the ministry and perhaps I may have done somethings differently than others. I once took a position at a large Baptist church with an 86% calling. That is pretty low for beginning a new work. It was because I was being called as the youth, education and music pastor for the church. The youth had been allowed to vote in the election and none of them liked me. With them, I was 100% unfavorable. The youth didn't agree on my principles regarding the Word of God and especially my views on music. During the first year of my ministry, I could not do anything right that would please them One of the first things that I did was to dismantle the rock and roll music collection that they listened to before a lesson in the church youth room. That naturally left a very unfavorable opinion of me in their minds. I saved only one tape out of 90 which was a recording by Amy Grant. There were a few that left the church but for the most part, they came around to Biblical principles, but it wasn't fun to be there for a long time. Matthew 5:22-23 says, “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.” 

           We might say that Jesus is meddling at this point into the lives of the crowd. The message was comfortable when speaking about the beatitudes but gets really personal when speaking about our relationships with our enemies. Who doesn't have a few enemies here and there? During my first year in the church mentioned above, I had one woman say to me, “I don't know who you are or where you came from but I don't like you and won't support your ministry here at this church.” That was at the first house on my first visitation night at the church. I may have wanted to reply with some negative statement, but instead kept praying for the work, the kids and the parents. In about a year, the same woman put her arms around me and thanked God for the ministry that was going on in the church. What or Who changed her mind? It was God all the way. We were shifting the ministry to that which was Biblical and standing firm on it regardless of the opinions of the “enemy.” Jesus said to “love” your enemy. He used the word, “agape” at this point and you know my definition of agape love. It is righteous acts to meet the needs of another. We stood by that principle. Who among us does not have those who are considered more to be enemies than friends? No matter what you do, those people will be antagonistic towards you and your methods. You couldn't boil water to please them. It may seem easier to just not be around them but that doesn't solve much. Instead, Jesus mentions four things for us to do in regard to our enemy: We are to love them, bless them, do good to them and to pray for them. That is our proper recourse when we are unjustly attacked by those around us. Remember that it seems that if you are doing something right for God that the enemy is going to attack and many times it will come from the people that are around you. Praise God instead, for His example and teaching. May we follow Him.