"As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. ... But love your enemies, and do good, and give, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful."  Luke 6:31-36

Messiah is often accused of teaching people to do the impossible, and this matter of loving your enemies may be the most impossible teaching of all. It is entirely counter-intuitive. When your enemy insults you, slanders you, or does some worse harm to you, the first powerful impulse is to do the same to him right back. He deserves it, right?

Maybe so, but what happens after you respond in kind? He, and his supporters, retaliate. Then you and your supporters strike back. Soon the initial offense, or who caused it, becomes a faded memory, as the cycle of hatred picks up speed and a life of its own, ratcheting up with greater malice each time around, creating a perfect killing-ground for the enemy of your soul to use against you!

Listen, followers of Messiah must not make the struggles and controversies of this evil world their priority. We, who are His, have a higher priority. Don't let all of the noise of the world make you forget who you are - "be children of the Most High."

Loving your enemy is impossible for fallen humanity, but it is not impossible for "children of the Most high." In fact, it is a proof of that identity. Children of the Most High have been given the grace and the truth to walk as Messiah walked in this world. When His enemies cruelly maligned Him, slandered Him, tortured Him and hung Him on a cross to die, He said: "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do." With those words He proved Himself to be the Son of God!

Incredibly, the Father sent His Son into the world to die, to redeem those who had made themselves His enemies, giving His very best to save them!  ..to save us.

If we can't love our enemies for their sake, let us love them for His sake. Because we owe so much to Him. It is through seeking to follow Him, even when we do not fully understand why, even when we find ourselves stumbling in His truth, until we finally get it, that we are raised up to something above this weak mortal form, to become something so much better and greater - to become the children of the Most High! This is who we really are. This is why we will respond with love, when nobody else will. Be that child of God, and be transformed.