By Rev. Paul Graves
Imagination time, folks: Jesus walks up to Jonah sitting by a bush near Nineveh. Jonah’s having a childish tantrum because God forgave the sinful people of Nineveh. (Jonah 4:1-11). Jonah knew God would forgive the Ninevites, so his anger was directed at God.
So Jesus asks God’s question of Jonah: “Is it right for you to be angry?” Then Jesus challenges Jonah to “love your enemies” (Matthew 5:43-44). Now! Hear Jesus ask you that same question when it’s so hard to love your own enemies!
Jesus may have coined “love your enemies,” but he certainly didn’t originate the idea. Traditions before Jesus had adopted God’s credo. Predictably, too many people pick it up and discard it immediately. We live in a culture that too often celebrates vengeance, retribution and cruelty. Today, Jesus’ “love your enemies” sounds just plain stupid to so many.
And that’s why we who try to love our enemies need to grow stronger backbones! Too often, we fail to live out that ethical call. And yet, we hear Jesus’ call. And we’re challenged to live it!
Perhaps today, Jesus would understand his challenge now embraces neuroscience. We are physiologically hardwired to react to perceived enemies and/or threats. We literally have deep-seated survival “on the brain.”
I’m sure he would know that. But he also would know there are ways to re-pattern our brains to modify those survival instincts in healthy ways.
Jesus never denied the existence of enemies. Instead, he offered a radically different way to respond to enemies, personal and social.
He didn’t dismiss enemies like we might want to. Instead, his love had a backbone we often dismiss – perhaps because we misunderstand what “love” Jesus lived out. It was far more action – “do love”! “Feel love” was less important!
Both historically and currently, there have been cultures that were/are peaceful. I refer you to a thoughtful article from 2021, “Peaceful societies are not utopian fantasy. They exist.” By Douglas P. Fry. It’s a helpful and stark reminder that some societies do not deny that fear exists. But those societies choose to respond to personal and cultural fears in peaceful ways!
That’s what Jesus encourages us to do (Matthew 5:38-47, Luke 6:27-36. Additionally, Matthew 18 is a strong description of ways to transform anger toward an enemy rather than to direct your anger at anyone with whom you disagree.
Pick any deeply personal fear or anger you have. Pick any cultural fear or anger you have. Then read these Gospel passages. Let yourself seriously reflect on Jesus’s call to “Love your enemies”.
Jesus told his followers to love their enemies so they reflect the character of God, who shows kindness to both good and evil people. Jesus instructs followers to replace desires of violent retaliation or revenge with radical, root-deep grace, patience, and nonresistance.
It can be so hard to love your enemies! Human instincts drive us to protect ourselves, seek fairness, and retaliate when we are hurt.
When does love need a backbone (LNAB)? Initially, our LNAB is to understand that the ‘love of power’ is not about love, but the ‘power of love’ is.
Undocumented parents’ LNAB when sending their children/teens to school. Family members’ LNAB when confronted by hardened attitudes of other family members.
Protestors’ LNAB when saying only ‘thank you’ to angry bystanders who are rigid and crude. Individuals’ LNAB when confronted by division caused by personal “bullhorns” rather than reason-based backbones.
My LNAB when I fear my political concern is all alone. Our LNAB to claim our political conscience and then VOTE it!
When does your LNAB? Who can help you find it? Love your enemies!
The Rev. Paul Graves is a retired elder member of the Pacific Northwest Conference of The United Methodist Church.
