It is easy for those who value their freedom to detest those who seek to remove it. But this can end in hatred, which is murder in embryo. As Christians, we are called to love everyone, not just those who “do the right thing” by us. Yes, and this includes those furtive, beady-eyed leaders whose aim appears to be to stomp on all that is Christian. But what if one might be another Saul of Tarsus who, for all we know, might be about to encounter the Lord Jesus, repent, find forgiveness, and later discover his destiny.
Just as Jesus revealed himself to the murderous Saul on the Damascus Road, no doubt he is revealing himself to those whose are persecuting Jesus in the lives of Christians today. “Who are you, Lord?” asked Saul (who later became the Apostle Paul).
“I am Jesus” the Lord replied, “and you are persecuting me.” But Saul’s heart already knew what his mind had refused to accept — that Jesus was the promised Messiah. He had known it from the time he had seen Stephen martyred for his testimony to the risen Lord Jesus. Saul was “kicking against the goads” — as stubborn oxen did — and hurting himself in the process.
Many people still hate Jesus in Christians. But some who see Christians die for their witness are touched in their hearts like Saul was. The Lord Jesus is just as much present in believers by the Spirit of God now as he was while on earth. Those who hate the Lord’s people nowadays do so because they too see Jesus in us.
They will answer to Jesus in the Day of Judgement unless they repent while they still can. In the meantime, we are commanded to love them, no matter what they’ve done or plan to do. Love is always the answer, but hatred, its absolute opposite emotion, is self-destructive.
So, the next time you see dislike or even hatred manifest on the face of a person in power, pray for them, because in their minds the worst thing that could ever happen to them is that they, too, might become Christians. The best thing we can do for them is pray that they will come to know and love the one they now hate!
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