Today’s question is a tough one. It makes me swallow hard because of its sheer audacity. And yet, I can’t help but wonder—what if I truly stepped into that reality?
I consider myself a kind, loving, and compassionate person. A good person. But then again, don’t we all? It’s so easy to see the speck in someone else’s eye while remaining blind to the log in our own. The self-delusion is mind-blowing. We justify ourselves, our actions, our words—rarely do we take a genuine moment to consider those around us.
You’ve probably heard it said: People don’t think about you as much as you think they do. They have their own lives to deal with, their own struggles to carry. If someone thinks about you, it’s often because you either meet a need or challenge something within them. So maybe, just maybe, we should cut people some slack. Maybe their plate is already full. And even if it’s empty, they’re still consumed by its emptiness.
But here’s where it gets interesting.
At some point, in this cycle of self-preservation and personal focus, we start to notice that some people just don’t seem happy when we enter a room. It’s like our presence suffocates them. And vice versa. The feeling is mutual. There’s bad blood. You know they don’t like you, and you don’t like them either. It’s an unspoken agreement—an eye for an eye situation.
And guess what? You don’t care.
It is what it is.
Why should I care to love someone who clearly dislikes me? It feels pointless. It feels humiliating. Almost defeating.
I have a colleague like that. If I’m being completely honest, we irritate each other. I don’t like her, and I’m absolutely sure she doesn’t like me either. We’ve had tense conversations, verbal clashes that I loathed—hated, even. Additionally, she contradicts everything I say, as if she’s on a mission to prove that I’m not good at my job. But here’s the thing: I am good at my job, and maybe—just maybe—that’s exactly what rubs her the wrong way. Call it jealousy, rivalry, or whatever fits. But one thing is clear: I have never tried to get along with her, because in my mind, she hates me, and I hate her right back.
That was my stance—until recently.
I came across a Bible verse that shook me to the core. It says (and I paraphrase): Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you.
Excuse me, what?
Love someone who doesn’t love me? Do good to someone who clearly doesn’t wish me well? This goes against every natural instinct. If we’re honest, we tend to love those who love us. It’s a simple equation—good energy for good energy. This statement, however, defies logic. It challenges my pride, my bitterness, my selfishness. It calls me to a level of realization that is hard to stomach.
The thought alone makes me want to laugh sarcastically. Are you kidding me? How am I supposed to love someone I dislike?
And not just love them superficially—not just fake a smile and utter an insincere “I love you” that betrays my true feelings. No, it has to come from the heart. And that’s where the real struggle begins.
How do I change my heart? How do I rewire my emotions to genuinely love someone who has done nothing but make my life difficult? And How do I do good to someone who wishes me no good?
I don’t have the answers. All I can say is: Help me, God.
So I leave you with this question today:
What if we loved our enemies and did good to those who hate us?
Maybe—just maybe—this is the therapy we need today.
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