Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. (Philippians 2:6)
“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43–48 NLT)
When he was still a young man, John M. Perkins held his brother in his arms as he died after being shot by a deputy marshal. He himself was badly beaten by the Mississippi Highway patrol. In the preface to the 2014 printing of his book Let Justice Roll Down, Perkins writes, “For repentance and forgiveness to work in my life, God had to see me through months of agony and pain after being beaten almost to death.” He needed that time of intense soul-searching to mature and grow in Christ. He continues, “I have overcome that sense of bitterness in my own heart—even though it was caused by my enemy. God had to replace it with His love.”
There are many of us who have real and pronounced reasons to hold in our hearts a deep bitterness – even hate – toward another who has unjustly wronged or damaged us. John M. Perkins certainly had good reason, but after allowing the Holy Spirit to work in his heart and soul in the midst of his agony and distress, rather than hate, he allowed God to fill him with love.
As followers of Jesus, we are so good at reminding one another that we are to love our neighbors, but that’s the easy part. The hard part is actually following through, and harder still is loving those who don’t see us as neighbors, who see us as enemies. Yet, if we are truly to be “Good Samaritans,” that is exactly what we are to do.
When Jesus tells the story of the Samaritan rescuing the beaten Jewish man and paying for his care, it was not just about a man showing compassion and love toward someone who had a differing opinion of theology than he did; it was the story of a man who, if the roles were reversed, might not have been rescued or shown any concern or care because of his heritage and religious beliefs.
It’s a story of a person from an oppressed group showing love and compassion for someone who was part of the group that had historically been his oppressor.
This is enemy love. This is showing kindness to the persecutor.
As backward – and as overwhelmingly difficult – as this is, it is exactly what Jesus expects of us and invites us into. He calls on us to be “perfect,” mature and full grown in our love so that it is directed not just toward the people who are easy to love but toward everyone, even those most difficult to love, just as he has done.
And ultimately, as John M. Perkins says, “Love is the final fight.” Love of neighbor – friend, stranger, and enemy alike – is the only way the world changes for the better. Even more, it is the only way we can truly say we are being like Christ.
Michael Benson is the communications director for the North American Baptist Conference.