“Love your Enemies, for they tell you your Faults.” ~ Benjamin Franklin
There is probably someone in your life right now who has power over you.
Just thinking about this person makes your blood pressure rise. You may have a hard time being in the same room with that person. He may have said something to you in the past that really hurt your feelings. She may have done things to undermine, embarrass, or discredit you.
This person is clearly your enemy.
One of the greatest spiritual commands is this: to love your enemies. Most of us are familiar with Jesus’ exhortation to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt 5:44). The typical reactions to the idea of loving one‘s enemies can be summarized with this statement: “You must be crazy.”
But what if loving your enemy had nothing to do with your enemy? What if the command had everything to do with you? In other words:
What if your greatest enemy is you?
Bring the person you consider your enemy to mind. Ask yourself this question:
“How does this person represent my own shortcomings?”
This may seem a ridiculous question to ask yourself when another person is being hostile to you. Resist that feeling. Just sit with the question and see what happens.
Maybe you’ll begin to see your blind spots. Maybe you’ll begin to let go of toxic feelings toward your enemy. Maybe you’ll will begin to empathize with your enemy.
And maybe you’ll will learn to love your enemy.
Grate piece Cylon, and I love the way you put it that we might even be our greatest enemy. It really resonate with me and I’ll have some deep thoughts on that, plus am of to share!
So glad you enjoyed it Cephas! 🙂
had nothing to do WITH(why) your enemy.
you’LL WILL happens twice.
Please correct the errors. Great article.
Nice message.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thanks, Cylon.
Yes, I am my own worst enemy – I would give myself a good talking to if it wouldn’t make me even more egotistical!
Guess I am a work in progress – I’ll keep trying and, if nothing else, I shall laugh at myself instead of taking myself too seriously.
Thanks for the reminder!
I’m definitely a work in progress myself! 🙂
I love how your messages are so short and concise, yet really powerful… I need to learn how you do this! (smile) I have two observations to share… 1. Once upon a time, I had a boss who…should not have been a boss! The thought of her (and how she treated others, etc) could make my lip curl in disgust. So many feelings summed up in one phrase: I’d lost all respect for her. At about that time, I’d been studying the Bible and the works of other authors. Through this study, I heard… “pray for her.” Not, “pray for her that she be nicer,” but to seriously pray for her, with compassion, and pray for my own acceptance of her and forgiveness toward her. Did she change? NO! Did I change? YES! And, it made such a huge difference in my level of tolerance and acceptance. It also removed the control she had over my emotions. 2. You suggested asking ourselves about our own shortcomings, in relation to how we feel about another… it reminds me of so many families I’ve known – including my own… My father seemed very eager to take out his anger on my brother. Why? Years after my father was gone and my brother grew up, I realized my brother was/is exactly like my father. Surely, my father did not understand the motivation behind his behavior, and I’m sure none of us do, without study and prayer. So, your arrow hit the bullseye! It’s a great idea to reflect on our own shortcomings when we feel anger toward others, even when that anger gives the appearance of being righteous. Thank you…
Once again meditation is your friend. In this practice we examine ourselves without fear for we connect with ourselves and in doing so with the Maker for we are Him and He is us. I cannot always love my enemy’s views, but I can respect him as a life form that my Lord created and because he is a part of my Lord I will continue to try to love him as well.