Faith | In the face of anger he chose ‘Love your enemies’

“Love your enemies,” Jesus Christ taught. How is this possible? How do you love someone who intends to harm you?

One may wonder.

Jesus’ instruction to love your enemies is found in the Bible, where he says, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:43-45, NKJV).

I struggled for years with this admonition, wondering if it is an intelligent approach to dealing with enemies. I had a breakthrough in understanding the wisdom of his teaching when I realized that he is not asking us to love evil in our enemies, but to love our enemies in such a way, that the evil they manifest is neutralized and rendered harmless.

I used to travel the world as a speaker on the topic of spirituality and healing. After a successful talk I gave in Southern California, a single man hung around in the auditorium until everyone else was gone. Seeing I was alone, he came up to where I’m standing, plants himself within breathing distance of my face, and verbally assaults me. His words were dark, ugly, mean, filled with hatred. Vitriol poured out of his mouth. I felt spit from his diatribe hit my face.

I stayed calm and listened for God’s guidance on how to respond. A voice within says, “Love him.”

I obey.

I looked him in the eye and knew a child of God is in there to be loved and honored. That all the hate and anger he is venting on the outside, is not indicative of what God made him to be on the inside.

I refused to be impressed by his show of evil that was literally in my face. I prayed to neutralize it with love.

As his raging continued for a few minutes, I held my spiritual ground. I did not react in kind. I did not tense up. I was not afraid. I loved him. I reasoned that love triumphs over hate, and whatever was really bothering him, could be allayed and resolved. Not with anger from me, but with love from God.

His tirade slowed down. He paused a moment to size up my response. I put my hand on his shoulder in a comforting way, assuring him that I’m not an enemy. I’m a friend.

He stepped back, showed a bit of bewilderment, stopped talking, turned and left.

I can’t tell you what he was thinking when he left the auditorium, but I can say that he did not leave as an enemy in my mind. I felt only love toward him. I was not mad or angry at what he did. It was not pleasant, but it did not leave a scar on my heart or sore spot in my mind.

He was an anguished man. He did not need hate from me. He needed love.

I chose to return love for his hate, and that choice, I believe, kept me safe from harm, and perhaps brought a touch of needed softness to his heart too. It’s what Jesus was praying would happen when he taught, “Love your enemies.”

To love our enemy does not mean we ignore evil in our enemy and pretend like it isn’t there. It is an intelligent response designed to defuse evil and foil its plans. It’s a safe and wise way to live.

Evan Mehlenbacher is a practitioner and teacher of Christian Science in Richland, and a member of the Christian Science Church in Pasco. Questions and comments should be directed to editor Lucy Luginbill in care of the Tri-City Herald newsroom, 4253 W. 24th Avenue, Kennewick, WA 99338. Or email lluginbill@tricityherald.com.