Do you have enemies?

Wednesday night at Kegan's we are studying the Sermon on the Mount in a series called Challenging Living (or something like that).

We were studying the part where Jesus says love you enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

I asked them if they had enemies. One man said no and his fellows seemed to agree. I go sort of worked up after that. How many of us think we don't have enemies? I think it gives us satisfaction to say that. (I've been there, believe me!) We think that means we have been nice to everyone and no one has a grudge against us. Therefore we have no grudges against anyone else. Oh really!?

I don't believe it.

Here in Kegan I am talking with offenders. I am sure not all of their crimes are victimless. In that case there is at least one someone out there who is pretty mad at them. You could call them an enemy.

I think of how even these guys who are trying to change behavior treat prison guards. If a prison guard is not polite they often react rudely. They are treating that guard as an enemy. There behavior is changing, they are trying but often it is only skin deep so far. Old habit patterns die hard. Pray for that prison guard I tell them.

The point is to pray for you enemy. If you claim not to have one then you have no one to pray for.

I then went on to say if you have ever known someone that you were just itching to tell off you have an enemy. You have worked on what you would say if you ever got a chance. That madam or sir is an enemy. Instead of working up great comeback lines you should be praying for that person or persons. Instead of kicking yourself for a missed opportunity when you did not say the right thing and you are rehearsing a better line, you should be praying for them.

I have some brothers that at times seemed like enemies. God finally got my attention and had me praying for one because of a specific incident. My emotions were still angry but I'll tell you God did something in our relationship as a result of my prayers however imperfect they were. I was very amazed and grateful.

When you read Jesus' teaching you to love your enemies and pray for them, I think you need to get real if you think you have no enemies. Then may not be pointing a gun at you or threatening you directly but there are people that you treat like enemies. Maybe you avoid them at church. Pray for that person that you cannot stand. Just pray for them and see what happens. Surely you want God's blessing on them. If you don't pray anyway. See what happens. Trust God with the result.