Love Your Enemies

Sunday School Chronicles

Me: What’d y’all do this weekend?

Student 1: I’m halfway through with the Deathly Hallows book! It’s so good!

Me: I have a Slytherin bathrobe.

Class: What? You’re a Slytherin? That’s so bad!

Me: First of all, I’m a proud Slytherin.

Student 1: I’m a Hufflepuff.

Me: I’m sorry to hear that.

Student 1: Ms. Janay!

Me: Ok! It’s all love this month.

Class: Ugh!! No!

Me: But it’s a different kind of love. It’s harder in my opinion. I know some of y’all are friends, so without naming names, do you have any enemies?

Entire Class: YES.

Me: Does God want you to love or hate your enemies?

Half: Love.

Other Half: Hate.

Me: We’re in the love month! Of course the answer is love. Before Jesus came into your heart, what were you?

Students: His enemy.

Student 2: Ms. Janay, I’m confused.

Me: Think of Captain America and Bucky. They’re playing for two different teams but they used to be on the same side. Bucky is an enemy but what does Captain America keep doing?

Student 2: Loving him?

Me: Yes! Captain America knows his best friend is still in there.

Student 1: Ms. Janay. Captain America is like God! We were God’s enemies just like Bucky and God is like Captain America because He kept loving us and saved us!

Me: That’s it! And God wants us to love our enemies! Why?

Student 3: So they can be on Captain America’s side!

Me: As long as y’all know in this situation Captain America means God, then yes.

Student 4: Ms. Janay. That would make me miserable. I don’t want to do something hard like that. God wants me to do things I don’t want to do.

Me: I get that. And so does God. God would never ask you to do something hard all by yourself. There’s someone living inside of you. His name literally means “Helper”. He’s here to help you do the hard things. And one day, it won’t be as hard anymore. Who is our Helper?

Class: The Holy Spirit!

Reflect: It’s not easy doing the hard thing. God knows that, which is why He gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit and His guidance to lead the way. Never be afraid to tell God when you feel like something is too hard. God can handle your feelings because He cares about you.