YOU ARE NOT THE ENEMY

YOU ARE NOT THE ENEMY

One of my favorite New Testament scriptures is Ephesians 6:12. It informs us of the true identity of our enemy. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”  You are not my enemy.  I am not your enemy.

All too often, CARNAL THINKING (a.k.a. stinkin’ thinkin’) causes us to believe that our “enemy” is someone who seems to be lacking in cordiality, i.e. they did not speak to us today, or someone who seems to be somewhat dismissive or even critical of us.  Guess what?  In the vast majority of cases, your enemy is not someone who you can see with the natural eye.  You have only one true enemy, and his name is Satan, the archenemy of your soul.

So we must stop seeing others who merely disagree with our ideas or decisions as the enemy.  In truth, they might be an authentic and essential source of wisdom, blessing and favor in our lives.  At the very least, occasional friction will likely produce personal growth and development in the long-term.

People are not our enemies.  Indeed, they are our sisters and brothers.

Erich Remarque’s book, “All Quiet on the Western Front” tells of a remarkable encounter between two enemy soldiers during World War II.  In the heat of battle, a German soldier took shelter in a crater formed by artillery shells.  After while he noticed a nearby enemy combatant.  This man lay dying and the German soldier’s heart went out to him.  He gave the dying soldier water from his canteen and listened as he spoke lovingly of his wife and children.  And he found the wallet of his ‘enemy’ so he could gaze longingly at pictures of his family one last time.

During that compassionate encounter, those two men ceased to be enemies.  The German saw the wounded soldier in a new way; not as an enemy combatant but as a father and husband, someone who loves and is loved, someone quite like himself.

We are empowered to enter the path of peace and reconciliation whenever we learn to COMPASSIONATELY SEE OTHERS and to recognize in them someone similar to ourselves.  Let’s not live life in a knee-jerk manner. Before we patently reject someone because they look, think, speak, or act differently from us, let’s try looking at them in another way. After all, that person is an individual who, just like us, is striving to make it through this journey called life.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!