Recognizing That my Brother is not my Enemy

We pray for the strength to forgive. We pray for the patience to interact. We pray to forget the wrongs dealt to us so that we may move forward. But how often do we still view those around us as the enemy we must pray for?

The Bible speaks about enemies and how we must treat our enemies with respect and forgiveness. Here are a few of the most common verses:

"Do not rejoice when your enemies fall into trouble. Don't be happy when they stumble." Proverbs 24:17

"If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink." Proverbs 25:21

"But I say, don't resist an evil person! If you are slapped on the right cheek, turn the other, too." Matthew 5:39

"But if you are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you." Luke 6:27

I pray for harmony and peace within the lives of my enemies, but are they truly enemies? The enemies spoken in the Bible are those who do not believe like Christians through their words or actions. That is to say, not all non-Christians are evil people and not all Christians are good people. But how we treat others speaks volume for how we are brought up and what we believe.

At the end of the day, our brother and sister aren't our enemies. Our enemies are those who tear us away from God, who threaten our belief in the Christ, who diminish our faith or desire to be faithful. Our true enemies are those individuals, and even things, that weaken our relationship with God.

If a friend hurts you, forgive them and reconcile. If you hurt your mother, seek forgiveness and reconcile. Even if you are not in a position to reconcile, recognize that the people who hurt you and who you hurt are not enemies in our sense of the word. Making a mistake doesn't make someone your enemy.

Clinging to temporary wrongs is what holds us back. I am extremely flawed in this department. I think my most prominent enemies are lost friends, ex-boyfriends, and mean co-workers or strangers. But that's not true. They are my brothers and sisters, and our relationships should be healed in order to better love and forgive in the future.

Forget the pain they inflicted, but leave behind naivety. Do not expect relationships to magically go back to where they were before your mistake. Your brothers and sisters need your spiritual support like you need theirs. Faith is best served in a community, but how can we have community when we think everyone is the enemy?

My brother is not my enemy. In fact, me treating my brother in this way hinders my relationship in Christ, and my inability to forgive and reconcile has made me an enemy against myself.

My Lord, may you bless us with Your never-ending strength. May we strive to better ourselves to better represent You and Your goodness. You forgive us, so may we forgive others in this unrelenting way. We are flawed, but we are still Your children, and as our Father, may You discipline us to be men and women who serve and love all people in Jesus' name. Amen.