No More Forgiveness Talk

There is a story of a moment when a man named Rich had been in an argument with a friend that ended in an abrupt bitterness.  The story would have it that Rich, later that evening, would show up at the friends house and begin mowing his lawn.  It was an action of humility and service that would be remembered by that lifelong friend long after Rich had passed away. "LOVE your enemies! DO good to those who hate you. BLESS those who curse you.  PRAY for those who hurt you. LOVE your enemies! DO good to them. LEND to them without expecting." - Luke 6:27-28, 35

Its amazing how many of these are intentional actions Jesus commanded of us regarding our enemies. It doesn't say, "Try to forget everything in your heart." "Try to have pleasant thoughts about them and hope that something happens for the good somewhere down the line." "Try to have a change of heart and leave it at that." "Listen to a good sermon and think, 'Yeah, that would be nice.'" No! These are all very intentional and quite tangible actions we are told to do for our enemies. Can you imagine the love and reconciliation that would happen between our enemies and us if we would stop thinking, planning, having conferences and talks, and started LOVING, DOING, BLESSING, PRAYING, AND LENDING to our enemies?

The world could be a different place.  Our city could be a different place. Our neighborhood could be a different place. Our church could be a different place. Our home could be a different place. Our own heart, and the relationship with the enemy within, could be a different place.