Our natural tendency
is to despise
to mock
to wish the worst on
our enemies
And when they fall
it seems like it should feel right
to be glad
they got what was coming to them
Satisfaction, right?
But that supposed satisfaction
only leaves a bittersweet taste
in our mouthes
We might do well to remember
that Jesus said,
“He who is without sin,
cast the first stone.”
David in the Bible
he was the rightful king
But Saul
the actual king on the throne
feeling very threatened
spent much of his time
and energy
pursuing David
and trying to kill him
for years
15 years
David had logical reasons
for retaliation
to hate
to fight back
even to gloat
with smug satisfaction
when his enemy
died
But he wept
He wept over the violent end
that came to Saul
and not only for him,
but for Saul’s son Jonathan
David’s best friend
He wept over the death of his beloved friend
and he wept over the death of his hateful enemy
and there was no satisfaction
for Saul getting what was coming to him
only sadness
For this king
was a foreshadowing
of a greater King
who would look on a whole race of people
who should have gotten
what was coming to them
and He wept
and He died
and the enemies
were saved
and they were loved
– Susie Stewart
In lament, David ripped his clothes to ribbons. All the men with him did the same. They wept and fasted the rest of the day, grieving the death of Saul and his son Jonathan, and also the army of God and the nation Israel, victims in a failed battle.
– 2 Samuel 1:11,12 (MSG)
Yet it was our weaknesses He carried;
it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for His own sins!
But He was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
– Isaiah 54:4,5 (NLT)
Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.
But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
– Romans 5:7,8 (NLT)
“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives His best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”
– Matthew 5:43-48 (MSG)
Photo taken by Susie Stewart
Susie Stewart 