Several months ago, I ordered a really cute pair of shoes online. Let me just tell you … these shoes are gorgeous. They have these strappy straps, and quite frankly, as soon as I took them out of the box, they became my favorites.
I wore them to an event that lasted all day. The actual event did not last all day but the “before” stuff and the “after” stuff meant we did not change clothes, therefore I did not change shoes. So I wore these shoes all day long. These gorgeous, strappy heels were not intended for all day wear. While they have a padded heel, the area where the ball of my foot rested was not padded, so that part and my toes ended up hurting after about four hours.
I kept telling myself, “Yeah, okay, your feet hurt, but at least you look good. Keep on, keeping on!”
I typically love people, easily. Loving on people who need love is easy for us to do. Taking care of those around us who have needs comes naturally. I do not always love the yucky people, though. This is not acceptable. Even if I do not like them or do not trust them, Jesus said I have to love them. “But I say love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you.” - Matthew 5:44 (NLT)
Looking back over the past couple of years and all the yuckiness Terry and I have gone through due to the actions of someone else not doing the right thing, I have not loved this person. In fact, I often ask God, “Do you not see what they are doing?” While I am learning the injustices in life still need to be dealt with and responded to, I need to love this person (people) and pray for them.
Suddenly, my spiritual toes began to hurt. And I couldn’t say, “at least you look good.” I think if Jesus were to be sitting across the table from me, He would say, “Bitterness does not look good on you, Aimee. Do you love your enemies? When was the last time you prayed for them? And by pray for them, I don’t mean asking My Father to strike them with lightning, but really prayed for them?”
Yep. My spiritual toes ached with the realization I do not genuinely love my enemies. But as a WIP (Work In Progress) I am trying. I have tried to pray for them with a heart wanting blessings to pour into their lives. When I pray for them, I see how God is softening my heart, too.
My precious friend Jessica sent a link for me to listen to a message about the injustices we face and how to handle them in a non-violent way. Too often, we believe as Christians we need to “turn the other cheek” means we keep taking it. What this message taught, however, was turning the other cheek exposes the person in the wrong. When Jesus said, “And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well,” - Matthew 5:40; what Jesus was implying, this pastor said, was actually Jesus being “spicy.” I love that. So the message there was … the cloak was the outer garment worn during that day. So if they were to hand over their cloak as well, they would be left standing there, nude. Exposing the person in the wrong, and the injustices done.
We can love our enemies and at the same time, expose the horrific behavior in a Godly, non-violent way. As this pastor indicated, this does not give an abuser of any kind, a pass. On the contrary. Those who are in the wrong, and continue to do wrong, must be exposed and brought to justice. It also means we have to love them, in the meantime.
I want to look good, sure, and I want to keep on keeping on. But more importantly, I want to reflect Jesus, not Aimee. So I need my “feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15) in order to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. If my feet are not fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace, I might as well be wearing spiked heels, all day, everyday.