One of Jesus’ most challenging teachings is to love our enemies and do good to those who hurt us. It’s easy to preach but difficult to practice. Yet, even the hardest journey begins with small steps.
First, we must remember that we don’t deserve God’s mercy and forgiveness, yet He offers them freely. God gave us a paradise, but we turned away from Him through our own pride. Still, He sought to redeem us by sending His Word into the world to lead us back to Him. If God continually shows us mercy, shouldn’t we do the same for those who hurt us?
It’s easy to get along with those who think and act like us. But what about those who challenge us? We all know someone—maybe on social media—who says things that upset us. We witness disturbing behavior in the world, and our natural reactions are to argue or speak badly about them behind their back. But that person is also a child of God. We don’t have to agree with their words or actions, but we should still desire their salvation. A common insult in anger is, “Go to Hell!” But if we truly think about what that means—eternal separation from God and love—we realize it’s one of the worst things we could wish upon someone. Instead, Jesus calls us to love, even when it’s difficult.
It’s easy to point out others’ faults, but we’ve all been wrong before. We’ve said things we regret and made mistakes we wish we could undo. When we fall short, do we want others to condemn us, or do we hope for kindness and forgiveness? If we expect Jesus to forgive our sins, how can we refuse to forgive others? As Jesus said, “Let the one who is without sin cast the first stone.” Instead of judgment, let’s choose patience, generosity, and mercy.
Jesus teaches that the measure which we measure will be measured for us. Consider the parable of the king who forgave his servant’s enormous debt. That same servant then demanded repayment from someone who owed him far less. The king, outraged by his lack of mercy, revoked his forgiveness. This reminds us to treat others as we wish to be treated and to love as we wish to be loved. When we pray the Our Father, we say, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” If we truly live by these words and show love and mercy to others, we help make the world a brighter place.
