Love of God and love of neighbor are cornerstones of Christian teaching. These commitments come directly from the Jewish heritage of Christianity. In the New Testament, Jesus is asked about the definition of neighbor. He tells a story that basically conveys that everyone is our neighbor. From a different ethnic group, nationality, religion, race, still, a neighbor, whether your actual neighborhood is diverse or not. Everyone is a neighbor according to the teachings of the New Testament.
But one of the most unique teachings of Christianity is not love of God, or even love of neighbor, with the broad definition of neighbor. What sets Christianity apart is the teaching to love your enemies. Yes, we can say that the broad definition of neighbor given in the gospels includes enemies. So when we say love God and love neighbor we are saying love enemies, too.
But the word neighbor and the word enemy don’t come across as synonyms, even though a neighbor may be an enemy and an enemy may be a neighbor. Even so, the two words send very different signals. Neighbor implies someone in your community, a potential friend, someone you have things in common with. Enemy implies separation, hostility, difference, antagonism, threat, violence, and fear. The radical, extravagant, revolutionary dimension of Christianity is expressed in the command to love your enemies and those who persecute you.
What does the world need from Christianity? I think an answer is found in that ridiculously bizarre and outlandish dictate to love your enemies. Other good values and good words can be found in other religions. Love your enemies is a unique contribution that Christianity has to offer to the world. And it is a contribution that is needed as people divide and separate east from west. north from south, upper income from lower income, light skinned from darker skinned, English speaking from non English speaking, etc. The Christian teaching love your enemies can help to diffuse the hostility and fear and competition that is growing in the world and will only get worse as natural resources become more needed and more scarce. Love your enemy. This is the word of hope and help that Christianity has to offer the world.
In recent months, the Florida Conference of the United Church of Christ has adopted the “motto” Love God and Love Neighbor. It is on all emails and communiques from the Conference. I would like to see the motto be Love God, Love Neighbor, and Love Enemy. But that does not sound gentle and pleasing. We don’t want to think that we have enemies. After all, we tend to be good, kind people. How could we have enemies? And yet we do have enemies. Yes, in other countries. Even in our own communities, though they may not know our names. We have them in our families. And we have enemies within ourselves; character defects that prevent our full wellbeing in the spirit of Christ. To mention our enemies is not only to be more radical, but also more honest. But if we say it, we are committed to doing it. It’s easier to say Love God and Love Neighbor.
As part of our Lenten journey, this is a time to consider how we are doing at loving our enemies. Naming our enemies, those with whom we feel antagonism, hostility, and fear. Naming our enemies within by examining our own character and behavior for that which is not consistent with the radical love of the teachings of Jesus. Then, it is time to love and to pray.
Prayer: We pray for our enemies. Enemies as near as our own breath, enemies across the street, enemies around the globe. We pray for the highest good of those who hate us and those whom we fear. We pray that we can be part of creating a world where all people are treated with dignity and respect and have what they need to flourish. Then there will be little cause for enemies or violence. We pray for the honesty to confront our own character weaknesses and for the strength to defeat the enemies within. Love does have the power to conquer all. Amen.
Lakewood United Church of Christ 