Transcript

0:00
Welcome to the Christian point was Zack and Linda. Hey, this episode is about a challenge we all face. And this is going to be a really important podcast that helps us improve our relationships with difficult people. And we’re going to be talking about how do you respond to your enemies. Today, I’m with my husband, Zack McConnell, and we are here in Texas, the trees are in full bloom and the geese have flown back into our pond. Well, they’re pretty aggravated with each other. There’s a lot of noise going on out there, and they’re chasing each other too. So we’ll be right back with this great episode of the Christian point.

0:40
Welcome to the Christian point podcast, where we’re all about growing your relationship with God. As lifelong Christian believers, your hosts Zack and Linda McConnell explore topics that affect your world. Together, they are relearning and redirecting our path as we walk through struggles hangups, sins and purpose. The Christian point is a lively discussion that will help equip you with tools to provide focus and encouragement from a biblical perspective. Always remember, Christ is the point. Now here are your hosts, Zach and Linda.

1:15
Welcome to the Christian point. Thank you so much for listening today. We look at God’s word, and we take today’s hot topics, and we’re going to be talking about a topic really, that a lot of people deal with. Frequently, we’re going to be talking about how do you love your enemies? And what does that look like? And believe it or not, the Bible says says that we’re supposed to love our enemies. And it gives a lot of verses and instruction on how we’re supposed to treat our enemies, which is really kind of countercultural. Okay, so the New Testament says, to love and to bless and do good and to pray for those that persecute you. And this is basically what Jesus said about treating your enemies. Yeah,

2:02
whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also. So those that persecute you, bless them, do good to them. And if they start slapping your cheek, turn the other cheek and love your enemies. So wow, that’s easy to say, but hard to do. Right? Exactly. You know, there’s a difference between Christianity and other world religions. How do you respond to someone that attacks you? How do you respond to someone that persecutes you? And so in this episode, today, we’re going to talk about what you do to your enemy, and how you respond.

2:35
Exactly, you know, loving your enemies, depending on the circumstance that is, can be so incredibly difficult, difficult? And what are some of the different ways that we can do that, and what are some different ways the Bible advisors that we’re supposed to show to other people, and unloose, Luke 627, it says, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you. And well elaborated on that, I suppose an example might be typical, and our culture today, most everyone goes to work, or they go to school, or they go to college, and most everyone has dealt with someone in their life. At some point, there’s always that person that’s out to get you so to speak, and they’ve got something bad to say, and maybe they’re trying to bully you. And if you’re still in school or a little bit more common there, I guess. And there’s also workplace bullying, too. And, of course, there’s jealousy. And that’s the root of all evil, and many people are enemies due to jealousy,

3:41
you could choose to engage in that same activity yourself, and do the same thing back to them. Or you can be the person that rises above and decides when they come up in a conversation, you’re not going to say bad things about them. Instead, you’re going to say, I really appreciate the way they do this, you know, whatever, or I understand there’s something difficult going on in their life. But you really got to look at the big picture. Maybe they talk a lot, maybe they make a habit of being very critical of others, but they work hard. So to do good to your enemies or people that are critical of you. It can be a verbal thing. And you can choose to take the high road and you can say good things about them. Maybe you’ve heard someone say that bad things have happened in their life. They’ve lost a spouse they’ve loved lost a loved one. You know, they’re your enemy. They bullied you all the time. They’ve criticized you. They’ve thrown you under the bus. But you know what, that doesn’t matter?

4:42
Absolutely. And you go and you be there for them. And yeah, I mean, maybe you don’t have that relationship where you can go to the funeral or the event or whatever it might be that you can support them but you can certainly write a card. You can be sincere err, you can be kind, you can be polite, you can do something for them. Maybe they’re just lost their job.

5:07
Yeah, you know, help them out despite the fact they’re hurting your feelings. It’s like others will not help them. So make the effort to help them out. You basically brought up the idea of the golden rule, and you’re, you’re supposed to treat others as you want to be treated. And you made the distinction that when somebody’s mean to you, what can be a normal response by being mean back? Right, right? Yep. But in the world, if somebody’s out to get you and throws you under the bus, and if someone does this to you, and you do the same thing back, and they persecute you, and you do the same thing back again to them. That’s not what Jesus taught. Jesus talked about loving your enemies, Jesus basically said, You do good to those that persecute you. And he said that’s the way you’re going to show a distinction, right? That’s how we have to reflect Christ in our lives. That’s the way people are going to see that you’re different. And I’ve got a good verse that will tie into what we’re saying, Look at Romans 1217. Do not repay evil for evil, be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as much as it depends on you, live peaceably with everyone, do not take revenge, but leave room for God’s wrath for his written. It’s mine to avenge, I will repay says the Lord. So when things get difficult, at least we can know that God’s going to take care of it his own way. And we just do our part in loving back to our enemies, even when they’re spitting on us or hating on us, or slamming your name in the ground. You know, I know it’s hard. But that’s what we’ve got to do.

6:50
Absolutely, is that and the best thing we can do is respond the way that Jesus would. And in Romans 1220, to 21. So there goes more wisdom, it says, If your enemy is hungry, feed him, if he’s thirsty, give him a drink. And doing this, you’ll heap burning coals on his head, Do not be overcome by evil, be over, but overcome evil with good. And now I’m not really saying you shouldn’t focus on the last part, I’m saying you should focus on the first part. But the Bible basically says, Look, when you’re doing good for somebody that’s evil, in the end, they’re going to be held accountable for their actions. And that doesn’t mean that it should change your actions as a Christian. But even if we are the best person on the planet, and we do everything, right, I mean, Jesus still died for me. And he still died for that person. And he loves that person just as much as he loves me. And so it’s like that humbles me. And I’m no better than him. So I need to hate his sin, but I don’t need to hate the sinner. And in Luke six, verse 35, but love your enemies, and do good and lend to them without expecting anything back. And that your ward will be great. And you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. And I mean, you think about how did Jesus respond? And you look at his example. And yeah, he’s like, Father, forgive them. Yeah. They don’t know what they do. And like He died for all the people that know him. And that’s grace. And like, we don’t know what you don’t know, sometimes you just don’t know it. And maybe you’re treating someone the wrong way. And then someone like a friend or someone calls you out, and you’re like, hey, you’re really treating that person badly. And you’re like, wow, I didn’t know that. Maybe, you know, maybe you don’t know. Well, think about it. I mean, think about that with Jesus, right? Yeah. Let’s

9:02
look at this example. Jesus created all things in John, one and three, Jesus came to his own, and his own didn’t even receive him. So Jesus literally comes to this world to save the people that he created. He comes to them, and they reject him, right? Yeah. In he still does what? He still loves them. He loves them, even though he goes and dies on the cross for them. And while he’s on the cross, He says, Father, forgive them. They know not what they do. You know, Jesus had an attitude of forgiveness, it permeated him. Because if you look in Acts chapter two, those people who basically are pricked in the heart and they say, Wow, we crucified the Messiah. They say to Peter, what do we need to do? And he didn’t say, Well, Jesus already forgave you. He said, Repent, and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins, but What Jesus is saying on the cross and Luke 2334. Father, forgive them they know not what they do. He say and look, they don’t understand they’re killing the Messiah. Please forgive them. It’s an attitude of forgiveness. And some think about Hitler in current day Putin. And Hitler and Putin did induce some very evil things. But Jesus still died for all. I mean, I would say both would be an enemy of us, right? Yes. But But Jesus still died for them. Jesus died for every. And sometimes that word all or that word, everyone, it’s really big word. Right? Right. And that means everybody, everyone that accepts him in believes in him and follows him. You know, I think some people feel so righteous that they should, shouldn’t give love to an enemy. But then I think about Paul in most of us have never killed anyone, just because they were Christians. The apostle Paul, early in his life, arrested Christians, drug off Christians into prisons, and yet God was able to forgive him. But some people have gone to prison for murder. And now they’re trying to get their life back on track. You know, it’s a difficult concept for us to get our heads around. But you can be forgiven even of that. And if it was your child that was murdered, how can you get to a point to forgive that person that murdered them? You know, that would just be so difficult. I can’t even think about it. And yet God was able to get forgive his children, us. And the people that murdered another of his children in even murdered his son. So I mean, that’s the power of the blood of Christ. There’s nothing you can do. That will not be forgiven if you’re willing to repent of it. And I mean, even Christians were afraid of Paul, but then he he became a Christian himself. Can you imagine, Paul, you’ve heard about this guy who arrested Christians, and think that he had letters of authority to go all the way to mascus damask was like 100 140 miles, something like that. And he went there just to arrest Christians, which was a lot longer trip back then then a two hour car ride we enjoy today. Excellent. You know, he was just going there to arrest people. And then this guy was converted. He comes into your congregation and you’re like, Hey, what are you here for Paul? You know, I’m a Christian. Now, he said, and I’m thinking, yeah, right, sure. But then we have to realize God will forgive. And look at that list of people in First Corinthians chapter six, nine to 10. It’s a list of a lot of bad sins, right in in verse 11, it says that some of you were, but they were washed away, they were sanctified, and they were forgiven.

12:52
Absolutely. And it also makes me think about proverbs 16. It’s talking about gracious words and healing. And that’s how we can respond back. Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. And it’s kind of like it goes back to maybe this enemy has had an awful life. And all this person knows, is that’s how to respond. And so maybe we could just be only Jesus. And we’ve heard people say that you’re going to be the only Jesus that that person ever sees. And maybe you actually will change that person, you know, maybe our words help that person and wherever they’re going in their life, and they can actually transform and become a good guy. And it just sets you apart from others, you know, if they, if they’re mean to everybody, and you’re nice to them, they’re gonna be like, Well, what’s wrong with this guy? You know, I am not nice to them. But they are always nice to me. Exactly. And I am mean to everybody. And everyone is mean to me except this one person. I mean, so that can be a sort of open up the door that will make them pause and think, and there are so many Bible verses that talk about this. And what did Jesus say in the Sermon on the Mount about praying for your enemies

14:18
really basically said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. I say to you, love your enemies. Now, Matthew 544 now bless those who curse you do good to those who hate for you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be the children of your Father in heaven, for he makes the sun to rise on the evil and the good and since the rain on the righteous and unrighteous. So he’s what he’s saying. He’s going to love your neighbor and love your enemies where we always think of love your neighbor and hate your enemy. So we’ve got it. We’ve got it Have a reset on that. So God does good to those that love Him. And those that hate him. He loves him too. And you should do the same thing.

15:10
That’s so true. But how hard is it to pray for someone? That’s an enemy of yours? Yeah,

15:17
you know, it really depends it in think about it, it’s really difficult to pray for someone that is trying to hurt you, you know, if they’re trying to hurt you, your friends or your family. And here’s the hard part, you never know what they’re going through in their life. And when you’re in the middle of that, that hurt in inflicting pain on you, it really humbles yourself to stop and pray for your enemy. And you’re like, someone could be facing something really hard. That can be a wake up call for me, because here I am, you know, this guy who thinks I’m a fairly spiritual guy. And I’m angry. I’m an angry guy at this point. In my lovely wife, Linda across the table from me, she says, Zach, hang on, hey, can we pray for him? And I’m like, can we? Well, I guess that’s what we’re supposed to do, right? So I remember I’ve times in my life where you’ve said, Hey, honey, let’s pray for that person. There’s been times even when I remember driving down the road on i 35. And you were like, we should pray for that person. I was like, I don’t want to pray for them. Because I was so angry. And you said, No, we need to pray for him. So we have to pray for our enemies and even anger that we feel toward people we don’t know, we have to, we have to control that in reflecting God. And that’s what it looks like in real life. Even if there was times where I was like, Man, I don’t feel like it. I don’t want to love them. I don’t want to bless them. So, you know, those times some are harder than others. And one verse I want to point out is that we were talking about earlier, that even the disciples faced people that when they went down to preach the gospel, Jesus told them in Luke nine, five to dust off your sandals and go on, figuratively for us, unless you’re wearing sandals, they can go on. Just leave it on a go.

17:13
Absolutely. Well, I mean, what you basically said earlier, you need to leave live at peace with all men. And there’s going to come a time when you have your enemies and they have you tried to be you’re trying to be nice to them, and they don’t want any part of it. And you have to use your judgment. And it’s a judgment call as when to say, Okay, I’m going to dust off my sandals, I’m going to move on. Because you can spend so much time focusing on this one person, you know, and I’m, I mean, if you try to teach this person or start a relationship with someone, and you’ve gone about it four or five times, and they reject you every time, you have to, at some point, use your judgment and say, I think it’s better for me to keep working on this person, or is it better for me to just stop, and how much more work could really be done? If I move on and dust off my sandals and go to someone else that I could share the gospel with? You’re gonna get your enemies riled up sometimes. And sometimes there’s nothing you can do about it. And it might even divide up your family, talking about religion and trying to encourage them religiously, because, I mean, you’re doing the right thing, even though it might cause some division, and you’d love that person and you choose to stick with Jesus. Then

18:35
look at Luke chapter 12. Poori basically says, Do you suppose I came to being peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division in Luke 1251. From now on five in one house will be divided three against two two against three, Father will be divided against son and sun against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother in law against daughter in law, daughter in law against her mother in law. So basically, what he’s saying is the gospel is going to divide people, but there are going to be enemies also even on your own household.

19:12
Absolutely. And the verse first John four, verse 20, I think it’s written to the church and members of the church, but the principle of it, you can apply outside of that, and it says, Whoever claims to love God, yet hate his brother or sister, he’s a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister whom you have seen. How can they love God who you have not seen? Yeah, so I guess the principle of it is, even if people were doing it wrong, you’re still required to love them.

19:45
You know, it’s it’s good that you brought up culture because, you know, we’re, we’re staying relevant. And there’s some crazy things going on in our culture right now. So it’s important for us to remind ourselves, we’re not perfect, but we try to be known by our love and not just for everything we’re against, and what were the bad things to be put back, known for love and truth point back and Jesus, we have to reflect Him. We’ve got your back if you need us, that’s the different way to spread Christianity. So you’re exactly right. Read your New Testament and see the way Jesus handled it.

20:22
Absolutely. And if I go back to Matthew chapter five, there’s a long five verses. It’s like 43, to 48. And now that’s the Sermon on the Mount passage. So he’s talking about love those do good to those who hate you. And then verse 46, if you go out, if you’d look, love those who love you, what reward Do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet your brother, brother, and only? What do you do more than others? Everybody does that, you know, even the tax collectors do? So therefore, you should be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect. And in Matthew seven, verse 12, do unto others as you’d have them do unto you. And yeah, we need that right now. Especially right now trying even in the country, and abroad sense right? Love your country right now. It’s so divided, it’s so split up, right, right. Everyone’s got different thoughts, they’ve got different opinions. And at the end of the day, we’re going to have to make peace with each other, and talk about how we can love our enemies and how we can find common ality amongst us. And the practical application of it becomes very real, especially when you look at what’s going on right now, all around us. And we can love those who we would perceive as trying to harm us. And think about the people around you think about what’s going on and be the bigger person, like we talked about earlier, be the one to approach and to go and try to make amends. Even if you know that person disagrees, or if there is bad blood between you do your best to try to ignore that. It doesn’t mean like it doesn’t exist, or you’re obligated to just overlook everything that this person does. But the point is, what is the end goal? And yeah, do good to them. Because your example is going to soften their heart and to open up and to give you an opportunity where you can teach them about the gospel.

22:28
Yeah, you know, if someone’s mean to you, in your mean, back, that’s going to end their relationship, right? Whereas if someone is mean to me, or someone speaks critically, in our reach out and say, Hey, man, like, are you okay? Now, they may not respond in that moment, but maybe later, and you’re able to have a conversation with them about something much more important. And I don’t always think about this, but my dad always said, if you need me, I’m here for you even at 3am. And it’s because he loved me. I mean, what if your actions could change someone? It reminds me about what we talked about in a previous episode, Linda, they will know us by our love for people. And when you look at what Jesus encountered, and you think about what you’re going through what you’re going to say, Well, Jesus had it way worse than we did. Absolutely. But he always showed love.

23:23
Yes, absolutely. So everyone, thank you so much for tuning into this episode of the Christian point podcast. And hopefully, it’ll help you in dealing with loving your enemies. And we hope that you’ll be back with us this next episode. And thank you so much for listening to the show today. I hope these messages spoke to you guys hard. We’d love to hear from you. Please write a review, subscribe or share this podcast with Apple podcast, Google podcast. Our go to the Christian point.com Thank you for listening to the Christian point was Zach and Linda, and let us know your thoughts by leaving a review. And be sure to subscribe and share these episodes. We’d love for you to check out our website, the Christian point.com and make a donation to help spread this message. And we encourage you to leave your testimony and give us a review. And we’d love to pray for you as well. God’s blessings and peace be with you. And remember until next time, Christ is the point. Thanks, guys. Bye.

24:24
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Transcribed by https://otter.ai