“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.” Luke 6:3

I love my neighbor! Rick and I have done a lot of things together. Trimming trees and bushes between our houses is the usual thing we do. Both of our wives like that… so we trim and clean them regularly. Rick has many skills. When I asked if he’d like to go to Barnes (the Church’s house) to work. He gladly said “YES!”

We had just been over there on Monday and spent about 5 hours. He knows drywall… and knows I HATE drywall. I changed out electrical fixtures. Yesterday Rick called to say he was going over there… alone! I had other things to do, he was looking for something TO do. Later, going out to FLAP… I saw Rick.

Rick’s shirt was completely soaked with sweat and his head was reddish… like he’d just taken a hot shower. “Boy it’s hot over there he said!” I suggested he could have turned on the air conditioner… but it never occurred to him. AC costs money… and it sounded like he didn’t want Jesus paying for his efforts.

FLAP (our Churches Bible Study) was a full house. The subject of ‘loving one’s neighbor’ came up. “How do we really do that?” someone asked. ESPECIALLY if someone is evil. AHHHHH… therein lies the rub! Julie, a church member, is going through a lawsuit with a very evil neighbor who is trying to take her property!

With the election pretty much over, we can see that God has intervened. But it’s like summer is over, but the heat remains! The people we consider our enemies, according to the Word of God, are really God’s challenge FOR us. And the heat is NOT going to go away. Neither is the sweaty, tough work that comes along with it.

Jesus calls those who love Him ‘His disciples.’ He has LOTS to say about what, and how, we do things. One of them is this pesky little verse that is repeated about a hundred times throughout His Word. It’s a command… NOT a request! ‘HOW’ we LOVE will take prayerful consideration, and ultimately… ACTION. So… DO YOU?

Have you asked God for the best possible way for you to show love toward another person? Even if that person proves to be your worst, pesky enemy? The heat is on! Jesus expects I take advantage of His resources, go to Him and ask Him HOW to be a cool disciple! Why not ask God, then go be a Rick and… just DO IT!?