Secret to loving your enemies

I’m finding such hope in reading “Up from Slavery” BTW. This excerpt is good for the soul.

One of the things I’ve been thinking, “if one holds to the reality that nothing can be done to you except the Lord allows it” then, Why are there so many angry folks that call themselves Christians?

That doesn’t mean we neglect opportunity for change and improving the circumstances of our fellow human. But folks headed to church Sunday after Sunday are so volatile during these times. It’s palpable!

I think of all the times Jesus angered the religious leaders and they went after his life, plotted to kill him, set up traps and every time Jesus escaped. Until... IT WAS TIME!

He stood “captured” by his enemies. Pilate in all his Bombast and certainty of his Position attempts to diminish Jesus, “Do you not know I have the power to release you or authority to crucify you?”

Jesus’ response should fill our hearts with hope and remove all bitterness against others who we believed have hurt us, far away. This paragraph on BTW’s insight is so in line with the heart of our Lord, in this moment.

“You would have no authority at all unless it had been given to you from above.” That blows my mind. And it was BTW’s attitude.

It doesn’t excuse injustice. We serve a God of Justice, and Righteousness. You can read my blog on “ Praises for a God of Justice.” He knows how to put the wheels in place to vindicate the innocent. But our attitude should see our circumstances through divine eyes. I love BTW’s words, “I have long since ceased to cherish any spirit of bitterness against Southern white people...”. You can read the excerpt yourself.

I think somewhere in my life God rooted this attitude in me. I’ve never had a mistrust of White people, though I could have. I never looked at myself as if there was nothing I couldn’t accomplish if God offered it to me. If racism stopped me, it was God’s use of man to tell me no or see if I’d keep pursuing. I saw everything in life as God’s providential Hand of turning me this way or that. Always having pity for those who hated me for my color or even my lack of degree. But watching faces when I rose to leadership positions was something only to Glory in God for. God opposes the Proud, so no going there.

I was the only person ever in management at the Burlington Northern Railroad without any kind of degree. Drill Sergeants, and later at duty Stations, Officers coming to me for life advice. Some of the same people who reeked of Racism and would have nothing normally to do with a Private, in our military or a Black person. But because I lived unblemished by bitterness, and hoped in God, He used me to Speak life to those who would normally have no use for me.

The problem today, unlike with Dr. King, we are fighting in our own power. Fighting with bitterness, anger and hate, where God delivers through means that magnify His Power and draws folks to Him. I love how BTW sees the Providence of God during a tulmultous time in our history. He wouldn’t become filled with the hate, that could easily be buried in the heart of even the strongest person. Especially if that strength wasn’t endowed by God’s greater Grace.

We can turn this situation around if we adopt the attitude of BTW, MLK and especially that of Jesus the Christ. “You would have no authority over me, unless...”. This is the secret of loving your enemies. ❤️