Love your enemy and yes pray for them too

I am very pleased to say that last Sunday, our family made it to church. We have not been going nearly as often as we should. Why is it so hard to make it to church during the summer? Ugh! Anyway...
We came towards the beginning of a series called Shocking Statements of Jesus. It really put some things in perspective for me this week. You know, it is so easy to love someone who loves you. When your boss is kind and praises you, he is a great boss! When your husband is affectionate and loving, he is a great husband! When your kids are patient and kind, they are great kids!

When you feel as though your boss is coming down on you, he is a horrible boss. When it seems as though your husband is focused on anything and everything but what you feel as though you need, he is a horrible husband. When you have one of those days where you think surely these children can not be mine... they are horrible kids!
Well you know when it comes to your children and husband, you love them at their worst because you just love them. Now, when it comes to your boss probably not so much.

Matthew 5:43-45 You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.

Gosh, that is so difficult at times isn't it?

When that police officer pulls you over and gives you a ticket for speeding, it is awful hard to love him.

When you have those relatives who every single time you get around them it seems as though they suck the happiness right out of you with their constant negativity, it is awful hard to love them.

When you have that Facebook friend that you almost hate to see a status update from because it is either a complaint about something or a post about someone they know who looking for something to be given to them for FREE because they are "going through a hard time" and you are thinking to yourself geeze you sure do know a ton of people "going through a hard time" is there some special group or something that I am missing out on? Because when my washing machine broke I had to go out and buy one... actually I am probably about to have to go and buy a new dishwasher next week.

So you mean to tell me I am suppose to LOVE the lady that I made a sales call on earlier this week that pretty much tried to make me feel as though I literally screwed up her entire day by walking into her place of employment. What was actually so crazy was the fact that her company is a non-profit that relies on support from people like me so you would think she would have used me coming in as an opportunity to tell ME about HER organization. But moving on...

I am suppose to love her too? Oh and not just LOVE her... I am suppose to pray for her!

Well the preacher during this sermon was saying (in a joking manner) that when he is dealing with a person that he is just having such a hard time loving he just stops and prays for them right then!

Like when you are dealing with that rude employee at a local business just stop and say "Jesus, you know I just know that Ann has to be having a rough day today. Because if Ann wasn't having such a rough day I just know that there is no way she would have been this rude and inconsiderate of my feelings when I walked in here today. So Jesus I just pray that Ann has a better day."

And just walk out...