Feed your Enemies

On one occasion Abraham Lincoln was asked why he wouldn't deal harshly with the enemy combatants after the Civil war; he responded, "Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friend?"

His reponse is a biblical one. Read the passage below from 2 Kings for one example.

As they entered the city, Elisha prayed, "O God, open their eyes so they can see where they are." God opened their eyes. They looked around—they were trapped in Samaria! When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, "Father, shall I massacre the lot?" "Not on your life!" said Elisha. "You didn't lift a hand to capture them, and now you're going to kill them? No sir, make a feast for them and send them back to their master." So he prepared a huge feast for them. After they ate and drank their fill he dismissed them. Then they returned home to their master. The raiding bands of Aram didn't bother Israel anymore. (2 Kings 6:20-23 MSG)

I wonder how much animosity and vengeance would be eliminated if instead of dealing harshly with our enemies we showed them hospitality? I wonder what that would look like globally, nationally, locally, personally?

The call of the gospel is to love your enemies and pray for those who despitefully use you. We do so because God reached out to us with such amazing love, even while we were enemies (Rom. 5:10). God, in Jesus, effectively destroyed many people who hated him by loving them. We should do like he did.