Jesus is the perfect man. His way is the right way. He never asked us to do anything that he did not do himself. He tells us to love God with all of our heart soul mind and strength. He tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves. He also calls us to do something that is diametrically opposed to human nature. He says that we should love our enemies. How can I love someone that has mistreated me, lied to me, stolen from me, abused me, turned their back on me, etc? Well, what did Jesus do? I want you to really think about this. Jesus selected 12 men to be his apostles. One of these men went by the name of Judas Iscariot. For 3.5 years Judas traveled with Jesus. He was never isolated from the group. He was never treated differently from the others. He did everything that the other apostles did. And yet Jesus knew that he would betray him. What did Jesus give to Judas? Love. Selah.
So why does God require this same response of us? He is giving us the privilege to be the face, hands, and feet of God in this world, where love and grace are sorely needed.
"You have heard that it was said, 'you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be the children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5: 43-48
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What exactly does it mean to love someone? What exactly does it mean to love your enemy? How does Jesus’ love for Judas exemplify the kind of love he expects us to posit? Did Jesus’ interaction with Judas predicate THE desired interaction with an enemy? Can you love someone and kill them in self defense? To the point can you love your enemy and defend against their schemes?
I don’t think that you have to be crucified to prove your love for someone. Jesus’ actions were beyond His relationship with Judas, and His tolerance of Judas’ actions were beyond an example of how to deal with the enemy. The gracious favor of God is bestowed "commonly," without distinction, on everyone. Yet in his law he has appointed a time for death and destruction. Paul says that we should love without hypocrisy (RO 12:9). He goes on to explain that we should work to restore everyone to their rightful place in community, even our enemies, so long as it depends on us (12:9-21). Love is one way. It flows from God to us and from us to all. We don’t need a person’s approval to show them love, nor should we need their love in return (1CO 13:5), but this doesn’t mean that we have to allow our enemies to destroy our family, and devastate our lives. I recognize the value of every human being and I have set my mind to love every human being and to display that love at all times, but I will defend if necessary. When is it necessary to defend against the enemy? I say, “When the enemy gives you no other choice.”
I believe, as I heard Erwin McManus say, that God calls us to always defend those who are powerless to defend themselves. Those who for whatever reason, are unable to defend themselves. This is the upside down way of doing things. We are called to overcome evil with good. That does not mean passively standing by while wrong takes place. It means making a conscious choice to love unconditionally and sacrificially. Love costs and it can be painful to administer. But it is powerful and transforming and it is able to disarm people in a way that force never could.
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