Loving the Enemy

There are two reasons for us to love our enemies. One is simply because God said to, but the other is because God loved us first.

If I post something that my stalker feels relates to her on Facebook, within a few moments, she is posting it to her Facebook. So, who is really stalking who? I am not sure that admiration is the word of the day, but my court case is. The post that she failed to share is the judgment that she owes to my husband and I for her past negative behavior, stalking, and defamation. AND I do not want to know all of her profiles, but it is a good pattern to show the court her mental state and what she is a capable of. Her profile is blocked to me, and I am grateful to an impartial friend that can provide me with her antics and posts. My husband and I have a permanent injunction that forbids her to contact us, she was instructed to remove all negative posts from the internet in regard to me (which she has not done and in contempt of a court proceeding), AND what I posted to her profile, that she is a coward to reveal, is the judgments that she owes us and our attorney! She claims that she doesn't owe monies in the State of Idaho (her public post) but she does! She made sure to let the world know of everything she thought we owed and what we really didn't owe! I no longer care what opinions that people have of me. The important people know the truth including her ex-family members. I do not check her profiles. I do not have to!

Let's talk about Johnny Ray Reynolds. For years, while married to his wife, he cheated with other women. My stalker wanted him, but he wouldn't have her. She continued to have an intimate relationship with him even while living with and married to another man (her dated public posts). He refused to let her live with him, he refused to marry her, and she tried to make him jealous by marrying another man. That marriage didn't last long either because it wasn't built on the relationship that it should have been. He stated that he was scared of her, that she is "pyscho". I have recorded conversations about his opinion of her, but he is a coward to tell her. I am grateful that there was NOT ONE word about me because there is nothing to say. Despite my shortcomings and mistakes, my marriage is working and strong. She tried to destroy it. It didn't work. In fact, it made my husband call out the cowards for who they really were; they use people until they cannot get more. I have stayed and cared for a disabled husband and not tried to sue his family members for what I feel that I deserve. I was grateful to assist in their defense. She mocks my ill husband and my son who passed away. I have not threatened her with a gun or a motorcycle gang as she has threatened my family and me. We understand her desire to control, manipulate, and to destroy in her violent outbursts. We understand the mental imbalances that she deals with. BE IT CLEAR, there is no stalking, no want or desire, to humiliate her or embarrass her. She has her following and I am grateful that they are there for her. This is why there is prayer for her.

Admiration is moving forward from her. I am assisting others in defense of being bullied by persons that should know better. CBS is working with me on a documentary in regard to cyber bullies. My short stories are selling. My dreams for the future are coming alive. Love is what makes all the difference. Loving others, even enemies, flows out of knowing love. The conclusion Jesus brings it to is for us to be like our Heavenly Father who is perfect and merciful. The word perfect can make us cringe due to our humanity. Only God is perfect. But the word perfect in the original Greek means complete. It comes from a primary word meaning to set out for a definite point or goal. Jesus is saying for us to make it our goal to love as our Heavenly Father loves.

Jesus brought up the issue of mercy repeatedly. Everyone wants mercy. The Bible tells us that 'mercy triumphs over judgment'. Of course, we want it. Giving mercy requires us to give up revenge and hand the judgment part to God. Loving our enemies doesn’t mean allowing them to continue to hurt us. That would be a failure of loving ourselves as God loves us. We can do what is in our control to protect ourselves while trusting God to step in.

We can always pray for our enemies. Praying is an act of mercy. Praying is loving like our Heavenly Father. Praying changes our hearts. I remember when the Lord directed me to speak a blessing over an enemy who brought harm to a family member. With tears streaming down my face, and pain in my soul, I did. The person continued acting as an enemy, but it broke the chain off my heart. The love of God saved me from bitterness and unforgiveness.

Loving our enemies means seeing them as human beings in need of the Father’s love. I see my stalker/bully as a child of God, in need of prayer for her healings, and I bless her as a sister in Christ.

AND one wonderful thing to remember, I am not responsible for the versions of me that exist in other persons minds due to the negative actions of the one.

Parable

 

The parable of the lost sheep explains, in terms that ordinary people of the time could understand, how the ‘good shepherd’ worries over the loss of a single sheep and rejoices when that single sheep is found. God, says Jesus, cares and is worried about each one of us. When we lose our way, God will not abandon us even though family members and friends will. He would keep reminding us, through the goodness of others around us, that there is a better way to lead our lives. For Christians, this goodness comes through volunteers and groups of the faithful who engage in daily prayer, and I am grateful for those who I pray for, pray for me, and pray with me.

Nowadays, it is easy to side with anyone who tells us that by associating with ‘wicked people’ we are being wicked ourselves (even though we have skeletons not yet revealed). The meaning is simple yet profound: lost humans need a loving, personal Savior. Jesus taught this lesson three times in succession to drive home His meaning. God deeply loves and cares personally for us as individuals and that means ME. We are valuable to him, and He will seek far and wide to bring us back home to Him. When the one who was lost returns, the Good Shepherd receives him/her back with joy, and He does not rejoice alone.
I love the painting that is illustrated with this post! Yes, that is me! My beautiful, compassionate, loving, honoring my shortcomings and weaknesses, and somewhat rebellious self!
"In the parable of the lost sheep, a shepherd has a hundred sheep. One of the lambs wanders off and it lost from the fold. Perhaps this lamb was distracted by something that looked interesting. Perhaps he laid down to rest while the rest of the flock moved on. Whatever the reason, this lost sheep became lost and could not find his way back. When the shepherd discovers that the lamb is lost, he immediately goes in search of it. Once found, he places the lamb on his shoulders and brings it home rejoicing. In our high-tech, low-spirituality world it can become easy to stray from the fold. Always intending to catch up later, only to find the darkness closing in and the fold nowhere in sight. Sometimes when we wander off, we mistakenly think the shepherd has forgotten us. We feel alone and scared and believe that there is no way back. The longer we wander in the wilderness the harder it becomes to believe that anyone knows we are missing or that anyone is looking for us. As leaders we are bound by covenant to go to the homes of those who are lost. To pick them up and put them on our shoulders and bring them back to the fold. The shepherd in the parable was not worried about what the sheep might think of him showing up so late. He was only concerned that he finds the lost lamb and bring it home."