From The Restory - Conversations On The Journey (109)

Love Your Enemy

“You’re familiar with the old written law, 

‘Love your friend,’ 

and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ 

I’m challenging that. 

I’m telling you to love your enemies. 

Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. 

When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer, 

for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. 

This is what God does. 

He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—

to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. 

If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? 

Anybody can do that. 

If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? 

Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. 

“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. 

You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. 

Live out your God-created identity. 

Live generously and graciously toward others, 

the way God lives toward you.”

‭‭

Matt 5‬:‭43‬-‭48 (The Message)‭                              

The Conversation

Elements From The Conversation

 

"The acceptance of oneself is the essence of the whole moral problem and the epitome of a whole outlook on life. That I feed the hungry, that I forgive an insult, that I love my enemy in the name of Christ -- all these are undoubtedly great virtues. What I do unto the least of my brethren, that I do unto Christ. But what if I should discover that the least among them all, the poorest of all the beggars, the most impudent of all the offenders, the very enemy himself -- that these are within me, and that I myself stand in need of the alms of my own kindness -- that I myself am the enemy who must be loved -- what then? As a rule, the Christian's attitude is then reversed; there is no longer any question of love or long-suffering; we say to the brother within us "Raca," and condemn and rage against ourselves. We hide it from the world; we refuse to admit ever having met this least among the lowly in ourselves.” 

Carl Gustav Jung

Music

Clearing

Do not try to save

the whole world

or do anything grandiose.

Instead, create

a clearing

in the dense forest

of your life

and wait there

patiently,

until the song

that is your life

falls into your own cupped hands

and you recognize and greet it.

Only then will you know

how to give yourself

to this world

so worth of rescue.

– Martha Postlewaite                                                

With much love.

George & Matilda