Relationships with Enemies

"He lied to me, and she cheated on me. I can never forgive people who stab me in the back like this," my friend said, upset with his other so called friends. I then said, "One should not be frustrated by these types of people; in fact, we should love our enemies." Immediately after I said that statement, my friend wanted to know why. So I told him, my life has been more beneficial because I have shown love for my enemies. I have received greater rewards for loving my enemies; I have been given more freedom in my life. Therefore, we should love our enemies with all our heart and hate the sinful nature that causes us all to fall.

My life has been more beneficial in that I have learned to grow evermore quickly. For when I was in middle school, I was hated by my enemies. It was only because I was new to that particular area's school system. Yes, I defended myself in fights, but when insulted, "I turned the other cheek," as stated by the Bible. Then one day, the very same people who fought me each day, falsely accused me of stealing pencil grips and stamps, and called me stupid started running into troubles. They needed someone to help them study, and they desired for someone to listen to them. I helped a number of people study. I listened to a lot of the people's problems. Through my compromise and kindness people could not hate me. To be blunter, they were confused by my kindness. Later, I matured faster, learned more, became stronger, and even became more popular because I strived to love and people felt they could approach me. They even began telling me about the divorces their parents were having, the girls or the boys that left them and their struggles with tough questions in life. For example, this lady I know, Sarah, used to hate me because I did not like sex before marriage, and I adamantly spoke against it. She, however, was immersed knee deep into sex with multiple partners looking for social acceptance. Likewise, I gave her the respect I would show to anyone else; consequently, she turned against her past actions as she grew older. Incidentally, she thought very highly of me because I, in retrospect, showed her truth and love. As a result, she had become a loyal friend of mine, and she has successfully settled down to a calmer and a safer lifestyle for herself. Certainly, this is beneficial since I gained a new friend, and I was able to positively influence someone to take care of herself; this then relieves society of a possible fallen citizen that would need to be picked up by society. Doesn't it take more work to pickup someone than it does to keep him or her in constant upward mobility?

The rewards, however, were far greater than any other reward I have ever received. When I wanted to do an activity I was backed by myriads of people my own age in different states and countries. I was actually able to keep some contact with all of those people I grew up with, and we are all on good terms. I don't feel regret or remorse for my past actions because I did what I thought was best for others and I did not follow my own selfish desire to retaliate. I broke the cycle of hate that we continue when we hate our enemies because they hate us. For instance, when I was a little child this guy, Ian, used to hate my guts graciously. One day, in high school, Ian attacked me because of a bet. I defended myself against him, but I did not try to hurt him any more than I needed to safely defend myself. My defense was a passive grappling submission move. Later, he came to respect me for not trying to seriously hurt him, and he supported me the next year for the football games we tried out for. He also spoke very highly of me to others since I did not try to hurt him that fateful day.

Since I broke the cycle, I have a lot more freedom in my life. I have freedom from my thoughts in dealing with others, from pursuing enemies that feel they must get me back, and from the dreadful claws of hate that suck the life from a man's face. I can stand at the mountain top and know that if I am pushed off that it was not because I provoked someone to do it. This freedom takes most men years to achieve. Yet, I started off early, and for that I am free from hate at an early age. Like an eagle soars, I take flight, and I fly away on the wings of honor, for to receive love one must generously give love. Now like a rose, I grow amongst a vine freely with the love of the soil that I sowed my adoration upon. Now, the other roses can flourish freely reaping off of the care that has been planted upon the soil. Hence, my best friend Adam hardly knew me. He had heard so much about me, yet as he talked to me, listened to me, and saw my reverence for others he came to love the truth. This, in fact, brings me to tears, for I never realized how much my small 25 cent gestures made difference to the lives of others.

Furthermore, I thought that there would be one great trillion dollar deed that I could do to break the cycle of hate. But, indeed, it is not a blaze of glory that one must accomplish to gain freedom from the chains of hate. We become like Martin Luther King, President Abraham Lincoln, and Jesus Christ when we realize that it is the day to day actions and not that one time explosive act to break the cycle of hate. King spoke out against racism, and his life was stolen in hate when he preached peace. But his endurance of hate with a retaliation of peace spoke such a strong message against the cycle of hate even though he was murdered. Lincoln had endurance of his principal of love through war. Incidentally, his brothers became his enemies because he did not agree with them on the principal of slavery, according to history. He did not believe in enslavement even if the person was very different from his own skin complexion. His care for those who were different was the same as the care for an enemy, now Lincoln is perceived as a great president for his adoration of his brother. This is significant because some classify those who are diverse as their enemy. As for Jesus Christ, he died for the Jews and Gentiles alike who continually sin and even crucified him. Amongst other things, not trying to convince you that Jesus is God, I am merely showing you that even though people cursed him as a man he healed multitudes of people. Whether by miracle or advanced knowledge, he showed love for numbers of people by healing them despite the fact that they all wanted to kill him. These men broke the cycle of hate through daily sufferance and sacrifice. Although they were all murdered, these men were free from the vine of entanglement called hate. Each man had contributed to the advancement of human kind, and their individual freedom contributed to the all inclusive freedom of man.

Therefore, forgive those who tread upon your life. I am not saying for us not to defend ourselves. I am merely saying that we must all act in love. If you learn to love your enemies then you will benefit more, receive some of the greatest rewards in life, and live with more freedom than you have ever owned. You too can stand at the mountain top without the fear of being pushed off because you made someone hate you. Yes, justice is one thing, but hate is another. Sow a seed of love, and others will reap a harvest of love; you will flourish off of the strength of the soil because of the love you have shown everyone. I wish you to live in love, so be free and fly like an eagle, for you have these mighty wings of love; you can fly anywhere off of the support of others with freedom. You too can be an immortal timeless hero.