But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute
you… Matthew 5:44
Perhaps the most difficult of Jesus’ commands is to love even our enemies. A
true Christian always seeks another person’s highest good—even when mistreated.
Brother Andrew says “The Christian’s only method of destroying his enemies is
to ‘love’ them into being his friends.”
Romanian pastor, Dr. Paul Negrut, was visiting an old friend in Romania named
Trian Dors in his humble home. As Paul entered, he realized that Trian was
bleeding from open wounds. He asked, “What happened?”
Trian replied, “The secret police just left my home. They came and
confiscated my manuscripts. Then they beat me.”
Pastor Paul says, “I began to complain about the heavy tactics of the secret
police. But Trian stopped me saying, ‘Brother Paul, it is so sweet to suffer for
Jesus. God didn’t bring us together tonight to complain but to praise him. Let’s
kneel down and pray.”
“He knelt and began praying for the secret police. He asked God to bless them
and save them. He told God how much he loved them. He said, ‘God, if they will
come back in the next few days, I pray that you will prepare me to minister to
them.’” Paul continued, “By this time I was ashamed. I thought I had been living
the most difficult life in Romania for the Lord. And I was bitter about
that.”
Trian Dors then shared with Paul how the secret police had been coming to his
home regularly for several years. They beat him twice every week. They
confiscated all his papers. After the beating he would talk to the officer in
charge. Trian would look into his eyes and say, “Mister, I love you. And I want
you to know that if our next meeting is before the judgement throne of God, you
will not go to hell because I hate you but because you rejected love.” Trian
would repeat these words after every beating.
Years later that officer came alone to his home one night. Trian prepared
himself for another beating. But the officer spoke kindly and said, “Mr. Dors,
the next time we meet will be before the judgement throne of God. I came tonight
to apologize for what I did to you and to tell you that your love moved my
heart. I have asked Christ to save me. But two days ago the doctor discovered
that I have a very severe case of cancer and I have only a few weeks to live
before I go to be with God. I came tonight to tell you that we will be together
on the other side.”
RESPONSE: Today I will destroy my enemies only with love.
PRAYER: God give me Your kind of love for my enemies—so they too
will love You.
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