Love your enemy - A spiritual health self-check

Photo by israel palacio on Unsplash

On the surface, the commandment to love our enemies may look like a utopic statement, something that could be nice to do but no one is really expecting us to actually do. But the full Gospel of grace and its consequences are that radical. So, yes, we are expected to love those who hate us and oppose us. 

Like any other of His commandments, Love Your Enemies is beautifully simple and profound.

Its beauty lies in the fact that regardless of our answer, it points to the reality of our hearts; it is an effective tool for a spiritual health self-check because...

... if I love my enemies, are they really my enemies? Can I still call or consider someone my enemy if I love them genuinely? Of course, we are talking about a fundamental change of heart, a change that is only possible because of the Person and Work of Christ Jesus.

... if I do not love my enemies, have I experienced the spiritual transformation the Gospel brings? My incapacity to love my enemy may be a clear indication of how deeply rooted my pride-idolatry really is.

What about you? How easy is it for you to love your enemies? What does your response highlights the real condition of your heart?

-AV