It’s natural to love somebody that loves you. What about loving our enemies? Is this possible? One of the greatest lessons Jesus taught all of us, while He was on Earth, was to love everyone; including and especially our enemies. He, himself, practiced what He preached. While everyone thought Jesus had a lot of support and followers, including His twelve disciples, we forget how many enemies He had and how much loved them. Everywhere He went, Pharasies and Jews leaders despised Him and wanted to stop His work. The opposition becomes more personal when the leaders of His town rejected His teachings and sought to throw him off the cliff. The High Priest, the Pilate and everyone who lead Him to crucifixion and torment were only a few to mention of the circle of enemies Jesus had.
Lest we forget, some of those enemies came within His group of followers. We all know that Judas betrayed Jesus, but he was not the only one. Peter also denied Him three-time and Thomas doubted the Savior after His resurrection. With so much opposition and so many enemies, how did Jesus still have a love for them? He taught us one of the reasons found in His sermon on Matthew Chapter 5 verse 45:
“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 5:45, New Testament KJV
This reason, to become children of our Father in Heaven, teaches me who God really is. Our Heavenly Father is a loving God who loves everyone; including the righteous and the sinner. That is why God does not automatically send fire or brimstone from heaven towards His enemies. He loves them, but He doesn’t agree with their unrighteous and evil action. He understands that we are yet His children, and when we choose to do wrong and repent, God is merciful. At the end of our lives, God will judge us of the actions that we have made here on Earth. He is the only Judge.
Another reason why we should love our enemies is that by doing so we will receive more reward. Jesus taught us:
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
Matthew 5:46-47, New Testament KJV
We are no better than our enemies if we try being like them. We need to do the opposite, do the better thing. When we choose love over hate, forgiveness over a grudge, peace over turmoil, we choose to become good; we become a child of God. I know while you reading this, you wonder why I am writing fictiously impossible principle that is impossible to practice? How can I be kind to someone was hurts me?
My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.
Doctrine and Covenants 121: 7-8
Let me share one true principle I have learned from the gospel. That principle is that we are only capable and authorized to love. We don’t have any power to make final judgments or decide the fate of our enemies. In addition, when we love our enemies, that doesn’t mean we agree and support their actions. It’s true that they cause us pain, suffering, distress and even anguish. That is not easy to love, but we must try to be kind and not cause any pain, suffering, distress, and anguish to them. This will turn the tables on us. We became their enemies instead of their friends.
At the same time the Savior taught not “to resist not evil” and if we can stop hurt, pain, distress, and anguish we must do so, but in a Christlike manner. The more we suffer, as the Savior did, we will be exalted on High and we will triumph over our enemies. “Vengeance is mine, and I will repay;” says the Lord in the Book of Mormon (Mormon 3:15). So what we should is to turn the other cheek.
Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
Romans 12:19, New Testament KJV
Let us be kind! Be good and do good to all men. Showing love to our enemies and turning our cheeks on their evil doings, it’s what makes a true disciple of Jesus Christ. We fight fire with water. That is the only way to extinguish the fire. Love is the answer to hate. Turning the other cheek to our enemies will require sacrifice, patience, and perseverance, but once we do it we will feel the love of the Savior. He knows everything about being wounded, betrayed, spat upon, cursed and spoken ill, and He still turned his other cheek on them. The Savior choose to be and do good by loving His enemies. He proved this by loving the ones who crucified Him, in His final hour He said:
“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
Luke 23:34, New Testament KJV
Remember that everyone will be judged for their own personal actions. Whatever the situation and circumstances, we will not be justified for seeking revenge on our enemies, because this is rightfully God’s job. Furthermore, I have learned that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the perfect source of help to make us peacemakers and our Savior is the perfect example of having Charity. This is probably the stumbling stone blocking us from being perfect. As we know, Jesus Christ was the perfect man who had a perfect love for everyone and He did that by turning His other cheek to His enemies.
God and Me 