It is easy to talk about love in reference to loving your family, friends, and “good” people. But how about when Jesus asks that you “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you?” How can you love people who have deeply hurt you? How do you pray for those who seem to have made it their life’s mission to make yours a living hell? What affection would you afford for a murderer, a liar, a thief, a terrorist, or a dictator? Is it really possible to love everyone?
I may not have a definite answer to this but maybe you can help me figure it out.
Think of Jesus on the cross when he asked God to forgive his brutal killers “for they know not what they do.” Remember Stephen? Stephen is said to have been the first Christian martyr. He was stoned to death for his faith. Right before he died, he echoed Jesus’ words: “forgive them for they know not what they do.”
Paul the apostle may not have uttered the exact words but his actions implied similar sentiments. As recorded in Acts 14, he went to preach in Lystra. Here, he healed and shared generously the good news of liberty in Christ. But despite the good works he did, the people in Lystra stoned him, dragged him out of the city, and left him for dead. After disciples surrounded him, Paul “came back to life,” got back up and went back to the same city to continue serving the very people who had “killed him.”
With these examples in mind, there is a strong case for the proposition that it is possible to love – to actively love – such as do you harm. It is possible, alright. How do you do it? How easy is it?
Such a love as Jesus, Stephen, and Paul had is transcendental. That is, you need an elevated view of life: your heart and mind must know something greater, something higher, before you can express such a radical love. What is this “something higher”?
Think with me. What if a 7-month old baby hurt you badly by, say, pinching deeply and pulling your ears? Would you harbour a grudge against the baby? Probably not. Why? Because the cute little baby “knows not what he/she just did.”
What if, like Jesus and Stephen, you saw those who harm you as cute little 7-month olds? Not in a disparaging way but with the attitude that they are simply acting out of ignorance. After all, if they knew the freeing truth about God’s unwavering love, if they were set free from greed, hate, contempt, pettiness, fear, pride, and such attitudes that motivate them to do harm, they would not remain evil, would they?
Also, having an elevated mind that makes you see them as cute 7-month olds causes you to easily see them for who they really are as reflections – image and likeness – of God. You see them as innocent, harmless and blameless.
Where you would have asked that fire falls from heaven and consumed them, you find yourself praying for them that they get to experience the freedom that you enjoy.
So. . .what do you think? Is it really possible for you to love everyone?