Jesus demands not only that we not resist evil people assaulting our honor or possessions (vv. 38-42) but that we go so far as to actively love our enemies. If we expect others to respect our boundaries, we need to respect their boundaries.
Matthew 5: 41-47 NIV41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.
42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Love for Enemies
43 You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45. that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
Lev. 19:18
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
Loving others confronts our selfishness. When we are concerned about protecting the treasures of others, we work against the self-centeredness that is part of our fallen nature. We become more others centered.
Loving others boundaries increases our capacity to care about others. It isn’t difficult to love the agreeable aspects of others. It’s another story when we encounter another’s resistance, confrontation, or separateness.
When we can love and respect the boundaries of others, we can accomplish two things.
- That we genuinely care for another person because we gain nothing by helping someone who tells us no.
- Loving others boundaries teaches us empathy,
This shows us that we need to treat others as we would like to be treated.
Galatians 5:14
14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.
We should fight for the NO of others just as we should fight for our own NO, even if it costs us something.
Principle # 7 of the “10 Principals To Conquer Stubborn Habits”, says, “Our sinful habits do hurt those who follow us.”
One of the lies of Satan is that no one is watching us or caring, so no one is affected by our behavior. The people closest to us are hurt and affected by our bad behavior. They may not feel the pain you feel but they do feel pain. They may not say the things to you that you need to hear, that will help you, but they think them and wish they had the courage to say them.
Romans 14:7
7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone.
Our lives affect others. Daily we need to choose to live our lives so that we have a good effect on others. We cannot do this in our own power. We need God’s power by daily reading His word and renewing our minds. We need to talk to God daily through prayer asking for His help to live our lives. We need to memorize scripture and daily put on the full armor of God. Ephesians 6:10-17
We need to choose daily to be helpful and loving to others even when they are not being loving to us.