The Hardest Commandment

Scripture Text: Matthew 5:43–48
Theme Scripture: “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” – Matthew 5:44

Devotional:

Grace and peace to you. Today, we are confronted by one of the most challenging teachings of Jesus. He tells us, "Love your enemies." Not just tolerate them. Not just avoid conflict. Love them. Pray for them. That’s not just hard—it goes against everything we naturally want to do.

Why does Jesus ask this of us? Because love is the mark of those who follow Him—not just any love, but a love that rises above human standards. A love that mirrors the mercy of the Father, who sends rain on both the just and the unjust.

Think about your daily life. How do you treat those who offend you? How do you respond to people who speak ill of you, overlook you, or even betray you? Jesus says, "If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?" Anyone can do that. But the real test of Christian maturity is in how we treat those we have every reason to ignore or resent.

This is not a call to be naïve or passive. It’s a call to rise to a higher standard—the standard of grace. Loving your enemy doesn’t mean you agree with their actions or pretend the hurt didn’t happen. It means you make a decision to act in love, even when it costs you something emotionally, socially, or spiritually.

Jesus concludes with a statement that seems impossible: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” But what does that mean? It means to be complete, mature, whole in our love. We can’t reach this by our own strength, but by the help of the Holy Spirit, we grow into it day by day.

Call to Action (CTA):

Today, ask the Lord to show you anyone you need to forgive—or pray for. Take one intentional step toward showing them love, even if it’s just through prayer. Let the Spirit grow you into the kind of person who loves like Jesus.

Prayer:

Lord, help me love when it’s hard. Teach me to pray for those who hurt me. Make my heart more like Yours—slow to anger, rich in mercy, and full of grace. Amen.