Love Your Enemies – Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

As I turn the corner on this topic to move further down the path it is not lost on me that tomorrow is Memorial Day.  I will address that later but I do not want to miss the connection that anticipating this day is part of the impetus for this writing. 

I have said on many occasions that killing someone is not how one shows love.  I have also considered that doing violence to anyone is not an act of love.  Paul warns us to do all we can to be at peace with all men.

The long and short of it is that I am not supposed be collecting enemies.  I am not allowed to hate anyone.  I am supposed to love everyone.  No matter what life sends my way I am to respond in love.  That can be easy to say and hard to live but it is still the right way to do things.

No matter what comes at me I am to respond in love.  This is the obligation of all Christ followers.  I think the world would look much different if we did.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Love Your Enemies – Enemy Friends

Greetings Dear Reader,

One thing that perplexes me is that we treat our friends like enemies.  And in either instance I do not mean that we are treating them with love.  We gossip, slander, lie, and betray.  We give our word and break it.  We do damage on purpose.

We go to war with people we are supposed to love: friends, family, siblings, and spouses.  We allow conflict to live and nurture it through actions and neglect.  We replace unconditional love with intentional cruelty. 

Everything about this is contrary to who we are supposed to be as Christ followers.  We are supposed to be kind, tender hearted, loving, and peaceful.  Our for each other is supposed to be an example that draws others to Christ.  Our benchmark is supposed to be our love for each other.

When we walk away from Christ, our friends, and our family for any reason we are holding that reason above our obligation to love.  Without unconditional love I am nothing.  There is nothing I do that truly matters if I do it without love.

All war, abuse, violence, want, and neglect occurs because we love something more than we love each other.  We choose our own desire, comfort, or journey over following in faith and love.  We destroy others, even friends and family to do so.

Everything about who I am supposed to be requires me to show love and kindness as my first response.  When I act selfishly or dishonestly I do not.  When I treat others badly for my own interests I abandon my love for Christ and others to do it.  That is the essence of following.  I must love you no matter what.  I get to love you no matter what.  I am privileged to love you no matter what.

Wond’ring Aloud – Jethro Tull

Wond'ring aloud --

how we feel today.

Last night sipped the sunset --

my hands in her hair.

We are our own saviours

as we start both our hearts beating life

into each other.

Wond'ring aloud --

will the years treat us well.

As she floats in the kitchen,

I'm tasting the smell

of toast as the butter runs.

Then she comes, spilling crumbs on the bed

and I shake my head.

And it's only the giving

that makes you what you are.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Love Your Enemies – Tax Collectors

Greetings Dear Reader,

People who do not know me assume that my politics are very liberal.  People who know my faith assume that my politics are conservative.  As with so many things the truth is somewhere in the middle. 

No matter where you land on the blue to purple to red spectrum I think we can agree that there are people who truly hate the opposition.  I do not mean that they mutter and complain about policies and positions.  I mean the ones who will be visceral and angry about a candidate or elected official.

I will not presume to speak for those who do not follow my faith.  I will call into account those who do.  Political opponents are not our enemies.  They may oppose things we believe in and may be socially different from us.  They may even do heinous things that are clearly wrong.   They are not our enemy.

Elected officials are not our enemy.  Even if we hate everything for which they stand we have an obligation to them.  We are to respect their office.  We are to love them.  We are commanded to pray for them.  No matter what you think of the president, governor, senator, or mayor the obligation is the same.

I am required to love and pray for all my political leaders.  I can work to oust them if I feel they are wrong.  I can vote and speak out for things I believe in.  I am not allowed to malign, curse, or hate them.  I am not allowed to hate those who support them.

Everything about following Christ gets challenged in the political arena.  There are those who hate God and his followers in our government.  We are overtaxed and underserved.  The truth, however, is that I must love them.  I must be accountable to them.  I must pray for them. 

By the time I do all that there is not room left for hate.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Love Your Enemies – Raining on the Unjust

Greetings Dear Reader,

At times I have a very visual imagination.   I picture what it would be like if rain only fell on the crops of the righteous.  Somehow patchwork rain would not be as beautiful.  It would lack symmetry and would seem cruel.  Jesus makes it very clear that the Father sends rain to everyone regardless of his or her faith and following.

If we proceed from the assumption that we are all fallen then it is not wrong that there are some calamities that befall us all.   There are blessings too although we do not really acknowledge them. 

One of the things we are supposed to do as Christ followers is help move things back to good.  A part of that is our social responsibility to everyone.  We are to be good to everyone.  We are to care about everyone.

We are warned not to celebrate the ills or bad fortune of our enemies. We are warned further to care about their needs.  How that translates is very important in terms of loving our enemies.

The social issues that plague man are the same.  They have changed through the centuries only in magnitude and complexity.  Our responsibility for those issues does not change.  Loving our enemies is not genuine if it is passive.

The responsibility of the Christ follower is to care about the needs of others.  The social needs of our community are the responsibility of Christ followers full stop.  The plenty that we have is for the purpose of showing love to those around us.    

I hate the system of universal healthcare we have adopted but as my Son Bezel said we have to get there somehow.  I hate abortion but the church should be leading the way in providing safe, healthy, and non-judgmental alternatives.  There should be armies of Christ followers feeding the hungry.  Every homeless person who want shelter from the cold should know we are and be able to knock on our door.

If our enemy is hungry we should feed him.  If he naked we should cloth him.  It is in the love of our enemy by meeting his needs that we gain the ability to show him Christ.  There is not one person who is unworthy of this kind of care.  It is in showing this care that we allow Christ to know us.

Instead we complain about the rain if it spoils our picnic plans rather than to consider that there might be someone who needs it.  We get centered on what we want or think we need instead realizing just how much we already have.  I must not hesitate to help those God puts in my path.  I must not shy away from loving my enemies at the very essence of life.

It is not wrong to be wealthy or comfortable.  It is wrong to bypass the needs of others because I disagree with their lifestyle, politics, or faith.  If the church set all of that aside and lived the social aspect of the Gospel to its full potential imagine the difference we could make.

Would Jesus Wear a Rolex – Ray Stevens

Woke up this mornin', turned on the T.V. set

There in livin' color, was somethin' I can't forget

This man was preachin' at me, yeah, layin' on the charm

Askin' me for twenty with ten-thousand on his arm

He wore designer clothes and a big smile on his face

Sellin' me salvation while they sang amazin' grace

Askin' me for money when he had all the signs of wealth

I almost wrote a check out, yeah, then I asked myself

Would He wear a Pinky ring?

Would He drive a fancy car?

Would His wife wear furs and diamonds?

Would His dressin' room have a star?

If He come back tomorrow

Well there's somethin' I'd like to know

(Can you tell me?)

Would Jesus wear a Rolex

On His television show?

Would Jesus be political

If He come back to earth?

Have His second home in Palm Springs?

Yeah, try to hide His worth?

Take money, from those poor folks

When He comes back again

And admit He's talked to all them preachers

Who say they've been talkin' to Him?

Just ask ya' self, would He wear a Pinky ring?

Would He drive a fancy car?

Would His wife wear furs and diamonds?

Would His dressing room have a star?

If He come back tomorrow

Well there's somethin' I'd like to know

Could ya tell me?

Would Jesus wear a Rolex?

Would Jesus wear a Rolex?

Would Jesus wear a Rolex

On His television show? Oh oh

(Would Jesus wear a Rolex)

(On His television show?)

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Love Your Enemies – They Want to be my Enemy

Greetings Dear Reader,

From time to time I am reminded that there are people that hate me.  Since I do not hate people I forget that people can hate me.  It takes some odd forms.  Still I must face that there are people who know me and hate me.

As we discussed yesterday to hate me means that you declare yourself my enemy.  Some people are jealous of my life.  I cannot understand that.  Some hate me because of my actions earlier in life.  I hope that they forgive me for their sake rather than mine. 

When I learn that others hate me I have to make a choice.  I can hate them back, but that is not following Christ.  I can be indifferent but that is self-deception because I am indifferent about very little.  I can love them and seek peace. 

When I respond to hatred with love I am amazed at the power of love.  It crushes.  The weight of it astounds me.  There are those who will not communicate with me because they have become indifferent toward me.  That too is a lie.  Indifference masks anger, fear, and hatred.  Rarely does it mask love.  I pray for them and ask God to heal the pain I have caused.

So if someone chooses to be my enemy then I must him as well.  Since God wishes for our weapon of choice to be love there is no instance where that is not the proper response.  There are people who do not know me that want to kill me just because I identify with Christ.  They too are people I am to love.  

So to those who would identify my as someone to hate, reject, dismiss, avoid or call an enemy I have only one response.  I love you.  If you want to talk about it, let me know.

Freedom Never Cries – Five for Fighting

I took a flag to a pawn shop

For a broken guitar

I took a flag to a pawn shop

How much is that guitar

I took a flag to a pawn shop

I Got me that guitar

What's a flag in a pawn shop to me?

I Saw a man on the TV

In a mask with a gun

A man on the TV

He had a ten-year old son

I Saw a man on the TV

His son had a gun

He says that he's coming for me

I never loved the soldier until there was a war

Or thought about tomorrow

'til my baby hit the floor

I only talk to God when somebody's about to die

I Never cherished Freedom

Freedom never cries.

I Wrote a song for a dead man

To settle my soul

A song for a dead man

Now I'll never grow old

I Wrote a song for a dead man

Now I'm out in the cold

What's a song to a dead man to me?

I never loved the soldier until there was a war

Or thought about tomorrow

'til my baby hit the floor

I Only talk to God when somebody's about to die

I Never cherished Freedom

Freedom never cries...

You can cry for her

Die for her

Lay down your life for her

Kiss and wave Goodbye to her

Anything at all

You can cry for her

Die for her

Make up your mind to her

Anything at all

There's a baby on the doorstep

Wailing away

There's a baby on the doorstep

Longing for the day

There's a baby on the doorstep

Who'd give his life to take

A flag to a pawn shop

A flag to a pawn shop

May he forget why he is crying some day

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Love Your Enemies – Declaring Enemies

Greetings Dear Reader,

I think it is very important to understand what Jesus thinks of as an enemy.  The word he uses here and elsewhere does not mean enemy the way we think it does.  It is exclusive to those who oppose God.  More specifically it can refer to those who oppose God in their thoughts.

That makes the pool for declaring enemies quite specific.  I am not saying that it is limited just specific.  In the mind of Christ enemies are those who oppose God.  The word is also closely related to hatred. 

This means that the statement to hate your enemy is to hate those who hate.  It becomes quite clear that the problem is hatred.  If I am to love my enemies I cannot hate them.  If I am to declare someone an enemy it must be because they opposed to God.

The quandary is that the moment I declare someone an enemy I must love them.  That means that I cannot hate them and, therefore, they are no longer my enemy.  They may think they are and may say so. 

The moment they declare that they are my enemy I must love them.  This again makes the state of enemy a one way street.  I cannot consider someone an enemy from my perspective.  I must love them. 

If I am going to declare enemies then I must realize what I am doing.  I am placing someone in a very specific state.  To obey Christ the moment I declare them an enemy (the moment I hate them), I must love them.  It becomes evident, therefore, that someone being my enemy is a very temporary thing from my perspective. 

I really must assure that I am not collecting enemies unless it is in pursuit of the opportunity to love them.  If that is my goal then I can just simply skip the enemy stage and truly try to love them as Christ does. 

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Love Your Enemies – On Hatred

Greetings Dear Reader,

The thing about hatred is that it devours.  It takes effort, time, and energy to maintain hatred.  So as to be balanced there are things that God hates.  All of them are things that are evil. 

When we hate people it is another matter altogether.  Jesus best friend wrote that when we hate someone it is the same as if we have murdered that person.  I wonder if we consider how strong that is. 

We are required to love everyone.   This leaves no room for hatred yet we make room for it.  We nurture it for the wrong reasons.  We become angry without cause or take up the offenses of others.  We nurture small hurts into festering wounds. 

It is our war on each other at the individual level that leads to riots, murders, and war.  Coddling my anger for selfish reasons can lead to the destruction of the object of my hatred and me.  It can also create collateral damage that is devastating.

Hatred is war on the individual.  It is selfish and serves only my vial interests.  Everything about hating another person is selfish.  There is no room for it in following Christ.  When we exchange love for hatred we turn a closed fist into an open hand.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Love Your Enemies – Who is my Neighbor?

Greetings Dear Reader,

Before I can venture into what I am to do about enemies I must understand who my neighbor is.  Jesus commanded me to love my neighbor as well as my enemies.  This is the second commandment and he equates it to the first.  He says it is one of the two foundations on which everything else is built.

The word we translate as “neighbor” actually means “friend”.  The contrast then is quite significant.  Further the flavor of the word is that of anyone of our “tribe”.  It is our community that we are to love.

This means that I do not have to know someone to love him or her.  Just because they are a part of my community is reason enough to love.  So even people in my community that may be in opposition to my faith and practices are still my “neighbors”.  If I wish to believe that I am following Christ I must love them all.

This means that in contrast my enemies are not part of my community.  If I am to love everyone in my community I need to look further to find who my enemy is.  Before I spend too much time identifying enemies, however, I should assure that I am loving my neighbor.

According to this the man across the street is my neighbor.  So is the guy at the gas station who takes my money.  The server at the diner is my neighbor.  The stranger sitting next to me at the movies is too. 

When I consider who my neighbor really is I come to a very serious conclusion.  I am required to love everyone around me.  I am required to treat them well.  It is my responsibility to love, unconditionally, everyone who fits this definition of neighbor.  If I am not working towards this in every encounter then I carry the name of Christ in error.

This means that at the community level I have not political, social, or religious enemies.  They are all my neighbor even if their beliefs are contrary to what I consider the truth.  I wonder if we see how huge this is. 

Things that I think are morally wrong are never an excuse to be unloving and unkind.  At the social level I must love to follow Christ.  The meanest vilest person in the community is worthy of love.  That is what is to set me apart.  Everyone around me should feel loved when they interact with me. 

That alone is a tough chore for a fallen man who struggles with his own selfishness and greed.  It is only by constant practice of this that I can hope to attain it.   The exercise here for me is to try and list a valid reason not to love someone that Christ has commanded me to love.  I come up empty if I try.

The Basin and the Towel – Michael Card

And the call is to community…

In an upstairs room, a parable

Is just about to come alive.

And while they bicker about who's best,

With a painful glance, He'll silently rise.

Their Savior Servant must show them how

Through the will of the water

And the tenderness of the towel.

And the call is to community,

The impoverished power that sets the soul free.

In humility, to take the vow,

That day after day we must take up the basin and the towel.

In any ordinary place,

On any ordinary day,

The parable can live again

When one will kneel and one will yield.

Our Savior Servant must show us how

Through the will of the water

And the tenderness of the towel.

And the space between ourselves sometimes

Is more than the distance between the stars.

By the fragile bridge of the Servant's bow

We take up the basin and the towel.

And the call is to community,

The impoverished power that sets the soul free.

In humility, to take the vow,

That day after day we must take up the basin and the towel.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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