Have faith to love even your enemies!

Bible verse : Matthew 5:44 (NIV)

But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

When Jesus was on this earth, He gave us many words that we who are saved must keep. In particular, the words of Matthew 5 have many specific details about how to act on the problems we encounter in our lives. Today, let's look at what Jesus said about those who have a bad relationship with me.

In the Old Testament and ancient society, there were laws that required equal retribution for someone's wrongdoing.
[eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. (Exodus 21:24-25)]
These laws were an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. If someone hurts the other person's eye, that person should do the same.

Another law was that if a man accidentally broke another's teeth, his teeth should be broken in the same way. It was a law that the other person had to repay him as he did to me.

However, Jesus said something different from the law they had kept until now.
“You have heard it said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you Don't fight the bad guys.”
The teachings of Jesus were completely different from the teachings so far.

Jesus continued to give more amazing teachings.
He said, “If someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other cheek also.”
Jesus told us not to fight back when others insult us. Jesus is saying don't confront someone who insults you, but let the quarrel stop.

Again, Jesus said, "If someone wants to bring to court and take the underwear you have, you must take off your outer garment as well and give it to him."
This verse tells us not to fight for more because we are bound by greed, but to make concessions and achieve harmony.

Again, Jesus continued to speak. “If someone forces you to go 1.5 km with you, you must go with him for 3 km.” This word means to have a generous heart toward those who forcefully demand something from me.

"And if anyone asks for a loan or for anything of your possessions, do not refuse it, but give according to the person's need." Jesus taught people not to be stingy when their neighbors need something, to give them generously and not refuse them.

Jesus went on to talk about the wrong thinking of people at the time.
“You have heard it said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'”
At that time, people thought there was no problem in hating themselves and hating those who hated them, even though they loved themselves and their close neighbors. Jesus said something completely different about the thoughts they had at that time.

“Love your enemies. And pray for those who hate you and give you a hard time. People will know that you are a child of God when you love your enemies and pray for those who afflict you.”

He said that those who believe in Jesus are not the ones who only love their neighbors who are good to them. He is telling us that those who believe in Jesus are the ones who should not hate even those who treat them like enemies to me, but should pity them and pray for them.

People like those who like them and dislike those who dislike them.
But Jesus said: “If you love those who like you and hate those who dislike you, then the children of the devil who do not believe in God do the same.”

We are the people who received the great love of Jesus. If Jesus hated us as enemies who love to sin, none of us would be able to go to heaven.
However, Jesus did not treat us like enemies, but allowed us to go to heaven because he loved us even while dying on the cross.

What we must remember when we hate someone like an enemy is that Jesus loves the person we hate. If I hate the person Jesus loves, we can become the person who stood on the opposite side of Jesus. This shouldn't be.

While you say you believe in Jesus, you should not act the same as those who do not believe in Jesus. You will have to become friends of faith who listen to the words of Jesus and act according to them.
If there is a friend I hate at school, if I pray for that friend and practice a wonderful heart of faith to lead him to Jesus, God will use you more preciously.