Love my enemy?
By sais06
@sais06 (1284)
Philippines
February 14, 2011 7:05am CST
It's Valentines day already and this is what others call the love month. So I want to talk about love too but not the usual way like about our partners, family, friends, etc. as it has been common in this type of interest.
I want to talk about our enemies. Yes, our enemies!
This is one commandment that we all fail to do, that is to love our enemies. This statement or commandment could actually mean many things or could mean different to every person. I find this idiomatic in the sense that it's as if saying that we should not have enemies. But how can we consider someone our enemy if we show love to him? How can we call him enemy if we didn't have any quarrel with that person?
I guess it should have said that we should not make enemies but of course it's difficult and almost impossible for us to not have any enemy. It could also mean to say that we should do good to our enemies but once we do good to them then I don't think that we consider them as our enemy anymore, right?
I guess this is one of the things in our life that needs to be understood deeper.
So how do you understand this statement? What could it mean to you? Can you really love your enemy?
1 person likes this
6 responses
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
14 Feb 11
That is a tough question. Yes I believe I understand it and I try, but it has to be one of the hardest commandments to follow, besides forgiving another. I think this means that if our enemy is in trouble, we shouldn't be harsh and we should try to help if we can. I also don't think it means to invite the enemy into your life either. But I may be wrong on both statements, I don't know, like I said, "tough question"
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
14 Feb 11
I don't know if sympathy a part of love, but if the end result is making the enemy your friend, then I believe it is good..:)
Yes it is very hard to do, and even when I pray for peace when I am around my enemy, my flesh gets in the way and I feel angry and hurt instead of peace. But I think that if we just don't give up, and continue, and keep giving the situation over to G♥d, that He will heal any hurt between people. I said "think" because people who have hurt me don't even bother to contact me or want to try to work things out. Or the person who I have hopefully forgiven, is no longer part of the family, (ex-brother in law) so I don't know how I would react if I ever see him again..
1 person likes this
@sais06 (1284)
• Philippines
15 Feb 11
I guess you're right. Maybe we should pray more to heal the hurt. This is what often makes us angry with our enemy because of the hurt that caused us. And our ego too. It's difficult to forgive because of our pride. Maybe we should learn how to stay low and be able to forgive.
There were times I really wanted to get rid of that feeling because it's not making me comfortable. I just want to have peace but cannot have it because of this thing.
I'm always praying for a humble heart so that I could forgive those people who has hurt me.
1 person likes this
@sais06 (1284)
• Philippines
14 Feb 11
Yes carmela, this is not just a tough question but also tough in the sense that it's very difficult to do. I posted this discussion because I also want to know if someone has been successful doing this because I haven't been able to do it most of the time.
You said helping your enemy but it's also difficult because often think of laughing at that person instead of helping him out. But I have tried this once helping him out but not out of love but rather sympathy, and that person never became my enemy again.
Is sympathy part of love?
I guess it would take a lot of kindness from our hearts to be able to do this.
1 person likes this
@latrodectus09 (94)
• Philippines
22 Feb 11
For me, loving my enemies is something that is next to impossible but I do think it's still possible. I believe this is Jesus' way of telling us to hate the sin, not the sinner. When a person hurts us, we already consider him/her an enemy. We sometimes forget that we all make mistakes and most of the time, we fail to see past through the person who committed the mistake and just start hating. I also think that this has something to do with forgiveness because how can you love a person if you still have something against him/her?
This is just a theory. A human person can only accommodate one emotion at a time in order for one emotion to be felt intensely. If two emotions are to be felt at the same time, one will overpower the other. It's like hermaphroditism. Even if a hermaphrodite human has both male and female reproductive organs, only one would be functional. I think it's the same with our emotions. If we love, we love. If we hate, we hate. We can't love and hate at the same time. So I guess if we have to love our enemies, we should stop hating them and I believe this can only be done if we actually forgive them.
I can't say that I'm completely capable of loving my enemies. I'm still struggling with it to be honest. :)
1 person likes this
@sais06 (1284)
• Philippines
22 Feb 11
Thank you latrodectus for this wonderful response. We must hate the sin and not the sinner. I have heard this once being preached into church.
I haven't actually come to ponder that a person can only accommodate one emotion at a time. And isn't it that one emotion could lead to another emotion as well, right?
And yes it's really difficult. This is just one of the things that we know that must be done but so hard for us to do. But I'm glad still because though it's hard but at least we are still trying.
@sais06 (1284)
• Philippines
25 Feb 11
I agree with your theory here. It's really difficult and almost impossible to distinguish two emotions with equal intensity. This is also the reason why there are times we can't control it because it's just too intense. Usually our mind says that it's wrong but our emotions kept on going the other way. Sigh!
Well thank you also for responding. 
@latrodectus09 (94)
• Philippines
22 Feb 11
I agree that one emotion can lead to another but I really don't think two emotions can be felt at the same time with equal intensity. Otherwise, it would be too confusing that it would be almost impossible to distinguish one particular emotion from the other. It's just my theory though. :)
And yeah, it's better to at least try to love our enemies than just hate them forever. :)
Thank you very much for commenting, sais06. :)
@sais06 (1284)
• Philippines
15 Feb 11
Yes it's what the scripture says but there are many commandments in the Bible that we are able to follow, right? And this is just one of those many things. Sometimes we know what has to be done but doesn't know how to do it. And there are times we know how to do it but we find it difficult.
Thanks for responding. Have a nice day!
@penrockerchic (1903)
• Philippines
14 Feb 11
Maybe what the statement love your enemy means loving everyone around you even those who have hurt you or wronged you. You may not consider them as your enemy but in one way or another, they might have hurt you with painful words since they don't consider you as your fried. In this context, we can love people, show them that we care and still do good for them even if we may not agree to a lot of things.
1 person likes this
@sais06 (1284)
• Philippines
14 Feb 11
So the statement "love your enemy" do not refer only to our enemies?
Oh I haven't thought about that and I do agree with you. There were actually persons whom we do not consider friend or foe but in on way or another has hurt us or we do not often go well with. Yes it could mean that we should love everyone.
I believe this is where unconditional love can be applied as well.
@penrockerchic (1903)
• Philippines
14 Feb 11
yeah. That's unconditional love and an almost impossible kind of love. It will take a lot of hard work I must say. It takes a lot of patience to do something as noble as loving those who have hurt you.
1 person likes this
@callyldeen (6)
• Philippines
15 Feb 11
According to Luke 6:27 love your enemies, do good to those who hate you..
@sais06 (1284)
• Philippines
15 Feb 11
Yeah I know what the scriptures say but have anyone really been successful in doing it? Because I find it really difficult or even other people find it difficult. There are times that we know the recipe but doesn't know how to cook, then we are still unable to produce the dish, right?
@buli23 (550)
• India
14 Feb 11
I think if we start to love our enemy then our enemy will converted to our friend or love. I think it is very hard to love our enemy. I do not know how you love your enemy. I think you are very innocent about the love and enemy. Your are lucky that you can love your enemy. I think you are great that is why you can love your enemy. Normally we hate our enemy.
