Loving (Political) Enemies

Happy Saturday,

“Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-5

What does it mean to love your enemy?
Growing up, I didn’t have a List of Enemies, and thousands of years of poets will attest that “love” is a hard-to-pin-down term. Without an enemy or a definition for love, “loving my enemies” was difficult… but I vaguely remember trying to think good thoughts about Kim Jong-Un. (You know, because Jesus told me to.)

Jesus’ call to “love enemies” finally hit home when I made it more specific: Jesus wants me to love my (political) enemy.

While I may struggle to identify a personal enemy, I have no trouble identifying a (political) enemy. Even if a specific person doesn’t come to mind, I know the type of person: they passionately vote for the “wrong” candidate and mock my views.

This is who Jesus is calling me to love.

As it turns out, loving them also requires more than my “thinking good thoughts.” In not-just-for-newlyweds 1 Corinthians 13 (above), the apostle Paul tells us exactly what love looks like. I need to:

• Speak kindly to and about people who vote differently than I do

• Be patient and un-irritated with politicians

• Stop keeping a mental list of what the other party does wrong

Those are some of the most uncomfortable and convicting things I’ve ever written. I’ve somewhat come to grips with the idea of speaking kindly about politicians I dislike, but keeping no record of their wrongs feels… irresponsible.

And you know what? Maybe it is radical. But it’s what Jesus commands.

So here’s my challenge to you this week: love your (political) enemy. Whether that’s someone who is “crazy woke,” “ultra maga,” a “lukewarm centrist,” or just politically disengaged, speak about them with kindness and confess your sins of irritation, rudeness, and record-keeping. 

What do you think?
Jason Woodruff

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