Love Your Enemy

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

This is the reading from the gospel of Mattew 5:38-48. "Eye for eye, tooth for tooth," but Mahatma Gandhi once said, "An eye for an eye makes the world blind." An eye for an eye means revenge. If someone made bad things to you, you want to do the same thing to him. But the Lord Jesus want us not to make revenge but to love our enemies. I remember one of my experience. It was last year when we were robbed in our house. I always say, I wish that they should died from accident or shot by the police. But of our family friend told me, to pray for them, not to pray for them to die but for them to change. That time I realize that what he said is right. So, I pray to the Lord, ask forgiveness for thinking bad things to them and pray for them to change. I learned how to forgive and forget, thou sometimes I still remember what happen because of trauma but I just think that God will be our judge until the end of time.

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