Luke 6:35 - Love Your Enemies.

Luke 6:35 - Love Your Enemies.

Luke 6:35 (NIV) But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend 
to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward 
will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is 
kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 

Luke 6:35 (NLT) Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them 
without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be 
very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most 
High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 

Jesus told the people to love these enemies. Such words turned 
many away from Christ. But Jesus wasn't talking about having 
affection for enemies; he was talking about an act of the will. You can't 
"fall into" this kind of love--it takes conscious effort. Loving our 
enemies means acting in their best interests. We can pray for them, and 
we can think of ways to help them. Jesus loved the whole world, 
even though the world was in rebellion against God. Jesus asks us to 
follow his example by loving our enemies. Grant your enemies the same 
respect and rights as you desire for yourself. [Life application SB] 

 "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you" Sociologists 
call the pattern Jesus criticized the "norm of reciprocity." In any 
culture, people will tend to keep the social books balanced. If you 
invite the Joneses over for dinner, they'll feel they owe you an 
invitation. If you loan Mrs. Smith chocolate chips, she's likely to bring 
you a few of the cookies she makes. 
Jesus didn't criticize this norm. He simply observed that even 
sinners live by it, so it is nothing special when we show love to those 
who love us. And He called us to live by the standard set, not by 
others in our society, but by God. Since God does good and loving 
things even for those who hate Him, we who are God's children and 
citizens in His kingdom are to do likewise. [The 365-Day Devotional 
Commentary re Luke 6:27-36] 

Yes, God's people have their enemies, even as Jesus did; and we 
must be Christlike in the way we treat them. We must be giving and 
forgiving; and we must pray for them, not that God would destroy them but 
that He would change them. The best way to conquer an enemy is to 
make him a friend. Keep your heart right with God and the Lord will 
produce the good fruit in your life. [Chapter by Chapter Bible 
Commentary by Warren Wiersbe]