Getting Even
Is it possible to turn an enemy into a friend with love?
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. No, if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. - Romans 12:19-21
If someone was to ask what it takes to turn a friend into an enemy, we would all probably be able to think of many ways to accomplish that, but not so for the reverse.
Why is it the path from enemy to friend is so difficult?
Memories can take a long time to fade. It took a generation after World War II for healing to take place and still memories linger.
Part of the problem, I think, is that we have a harder time seeing good in each other than seeing evil. We trust that the evil we see is true, while the good we find suspect.
It is as if goodness can only exist in the absence of all evil, so the slightest bit of evil negates all good.
In order to counter evil with love, we have to believe that love is real. And we need to trust that all of God's creation is born of love.
Once we paint someone as evil, we are saying there is no love in them, and that means we believe they are not capable of responding to love.
So, we take love off the table. It is not an option. All we are left with is hatred and death.
Perhaps the problem with countering evil with love is that we don't know how to do it. We think it is applicable on a grand scale, through diplomacy and policy, where it is often misunderstood or viewed as weakness.
I think it works best one on one.
Jesus gave his big speeches to the masses and people were moved, but it was his work with individuals up close and personal that changed them.
I believe we need to do the same thing.
We need to get personal.
It is so much easier to trust that my love is real when I share it directly with you.
So, I think that is what Paul is telling us in his letter this morning. Get personal.
It may turn the anger around and change both of us.
More to come...