Love or Hate

September 9

(Psalm 109:6-20 NIV) “Appoint an evil man to oppose him; let an accuser stand at his right hand. {7} When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayers condemn him. {8} May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership. {9} May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow. {10} May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes. {11} May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor. {12} May no one extend kindness to him or take pity on his fatherless children. {13} May his descendants be cut off, their names blotted out from the next generation. {14} May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord; may the sin of his mother never be blotted out. {15} May their sins always remain before the Lord, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth. {16} For he never thought of doing a kindness, but hounded to death the poor and the needy and the brokenhearted. {17} He loved to pronounce a curse-- may it come on him; he found no pleasure in blessing-- may it be far from him. {18} He wore cursing as his garment; it entered into his body like water, into his bones like oil. {19} May it be like a cloak wrapped about him, like a belt tied forever around him. {20} May this be the Lord's payment to my accusers, to those who speak evil of me.”

(Matthew 5:43-48 NIV)  ""You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' {44} But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, {45} that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. {46} If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? {47} And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? {48} Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Most of us like the sound of Psalm 109 when it comes to dealing with our enemies. The people described there would certainly seem to deserve our wrath and the wrath of God. But what do we think of the bad wishes the Psalm writer has for those who oppose him? Does repaying evil with more evil ever make us happier or more satisfied? Does it produce contentment? Jesus has some hard teaching for His followers when it comes to dealing with enemies. His command is that we love them and pray for them. If we love only those who love us, we are no better than the pagans. Christ calls us to a higher love -- a more holy love. It’s the kind of love we received when we did not deserve it -- when we were living as enemies of the Lord. This is what we are called to pass on to our enemies. Easy? No! Right and good? Yes! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day