Faith | Pray for someone who hurts you. Really!

Middle school is never an easy time for anyone.

I can remember being a 13-year-old girl walking through mostly empty halls of my middle school, and glancing up the stairwell at a petite, blonde girl who ran with the popular crowd. She was looking down the stairs at me with a sneer on her face.

“Stop looking at me, or I’ll get you!” she hissed.

I could feel the heat of that threat rise in my cheeks, and burn in the pit of my stomach. What did I do to her to make her say that to me? I wondered. I felt ashamed somehow. I returned to class a little shaken, feeling awful.

That night as I was talking to God about my day, I still felt the residual affects of that bitter encounter echoing through me. From somewhere, maybe an angel on my shoulder or a memory from a youth group discussion, a thought came to me. Wherever it came from, the message was clear: Say a prayer for this girl.

I remember it was kind of hard for me to do. It hurt in a way — but no one had to know. It was between God and me. I made that prayer for her, still picturing her aggressive posture in my minds eye, and feeling that meanness burn in my stomach.

The next day our teachers were hustling us to get our missing or late assignments in. Report cards were due soon. I was falling behind in—of all things—art class.

In danger of getting a C-minus because I hadn’t completed my art projects, the teacher said I could ask someone to help me. I asked all my friends, but they were all too busy trying to complete their own projects.

So, the art teacher called out to the class, “Can anyone help Heather finish her clay project?”

From way in the back of the room, where a group of girls sat together, the petite blonde girl who had threatened me the day before quickly jumped up and said, “I’ll help her!”

I was quietly floored. I could almost hear a loving chuckle from behind my back, like the voice of God, saying, “See?”

That same girl walked up to me and listened as I explained what I needed in order to finish my project on time. Thanks to her, I was able to pass art class with a B-plus.

I don’t know if, at that time in my life, I had ever given much thought to Christ’s words in Matthew 5: 43-47 “... But now I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may become the children of your Father in heaven ... . Why should God reward you if you love only the people who love you? ... And if you speak only to your friends, have you done anything out of the ordinary?”

It’s a lesson that has stayed with me throughout my life.

Even in those moments when I don’t feel like it, God’s patience waits for me to come to that place of compassion for another person so I can pray.

It’s that grace through prayer that brings me a small step closer to peace.