Dealing with 'enemies'

Luke 9 : 51 - 56

....the people would not receive him....

In this day and age, with so much polarisation among people, it is easy to label one group as 'the enemy'. In fact we all do, sometimes unconsciously, of course. We don't usually 'call down fire from heaven' upon our enemies, of course, but don't we wish they were not around?

The Samaritans, long time enemies of the Jews, refused to provide hospitality to Jesus and his disciples. The fact that Jesus asked for hospitality seems strange enough, but perhaps it was his way of remaining open to people, rather then labelling them outright. Well, the easy way to react to rejection was to get rid of the enemy, as James and John expressed. But their Master 'turned and rebuked them'. That was not the way he wanted to deal with enemies. Jesus' "face was set toward Jerusalem", the place where on the cross he would finally make a way for all, Jew, Gentile and for all peoples to be one in Christ.

How would we deal with 'enemies'? Or perhaps more often, people who just irritate us, and with whom we find it difficult to relate? They might well be the growing edges for us. As I listen to others and also reflect on my life, such disagreeable people are actually 'thorns in the flesh'. They are there to teach us something the Lord wants us to learn. Not a very pleasant way of learning, but sometimes it may be the only way for the Lord to purify our choices, our motives and our self-centeredness. I don't relish having to deal with persons who get on my nerves, but I know that the Lord will continue bringing them along........just because out of love, he wants to free me of my own perspective. Not comfortable, but necessary! May the Lord help us as we learn to receive our enemies, as he would have us do.