Jesus taught that we should love our enemies, bless them that curse us, do good to them that hate us, and pray for those that persecute us (Matthew 5:44). But today I see a lot of… well, frankly, open cruelty and contempt by those who profess to be Christian towards people and groups they don’t like. And while it’s easy to point fingers towards this sub-group or that, it seems to be a universal phenomenon. Without exception for any religious, political, or cultural group, those who declare Christ to be their King will, in the very next breath, celebrate the suffering (and often seek to add to it) of those they consider to be their enemies.
Some say that we should love our enemies “in our heart,” which I suppose is a good place to start. But if that doesn’t result in any concrete change in our actions, then I’m skeptical it results in us becoming better disciples. Some say that loving our enemies doesn’t mean we shouldn’t fight back. But didn’t Christ also say to turn the other cheek? To go two miles when compelled to go one? To give our cloak also when someone takes our coat? (Matthew 5:39-41) Don’t get me wrong; I acknowledge it doesn’t feel right to just be a doormat all the time. But I guess I’m also a bit suspicious of any answer that boils down to, “I don’t need to change my behavior; they do.”
So what then are we to do? How do we be “doers of the word, not hearers only” (James 1:22) in this, one of the most unique and most challenging of Christ’s teachings?