Jesus says: LOVE Our 'Enemies' - HOW do we Live this WAY?

In my country, I know folks who are really torn 

between wanting to see our country go a certain way
AND
not sure how-to (or if they even should) stay in respectful relationship 

with those with whom they disagree. 

How do you relate?
I gathered some of my thoughts about that today, from my POV:

The Way of Jesus: LOVING Our 'Enemies'

Jesus didn’t say this from a safe, idyllic place of comfort.

He said it while living in a time of great political, religious, and social tension

—where powerful forces actively worked against him, undermining his ministry,

and eventually collaborating to have him tortured and executed.

His call to love our enemies wasn’t abstract or idealistic.

It was spoken in the face of real oppression, betrayal, and violence.

.

The FRAME in the time of Jesus: Life Under Empire

Jesus and his people lived under Roman occupation

—a foreign empire that controlled their land, economy, and government.

Some complied with Rome, others resisted, and most simply tried to survive.

Within this reality, Jesus played a deeply layered game

—neither active rebellion nor passive submission.

Instead of taking up arms against Rome 

or aligning with political or religious factions, 

he chose another way:

• Loving radically—healing, feeding, serving, teaching, and simply being With people.

• Unveiling a deeper reality—the Realm (Kingdom) of God/Heaven, where dominion is not about physical force but about spiritual power.

• Operating from his own authority—walking in alignment with his Divine Mission.

Acting, not reacting to outward control;

Calling us into a higher way of being and behaving.

Jesus was not just end-running the political game, but also the religious one.

He spoke truth boldly, but refused to fight on their (usual) terms.

Jesus Playing His Own GAME, Rather Than Being Played by Theirs

Jesus did not feed the energy by fighting empire directly—but neither did he comply.  

He did not:

• Resist with violence, but he operated in truth and love.

• Seek political power, but his teachings threatened the powerful.

• Join the empire, but he also didn’t encourage armed rebellion.

Instead, Jesus offered a completely different game—one where:

• The Realm of God/ Heaven was real & present, more mighty than earthly politics or religion.

• The goal was not about gaining worldly power, but about inner transformation, which shifts our world from the inside out.

• The measure of success was not domination (or judgment), but love (in alignment with our Source)

Jesus wasn’t trapped in the political struggle of 'us vs. them', he TRANSCENDED it

• Most crucially—Jesus motivated people to play a different game.

• A game in which the Realm (Kingdom) of Spirit—God/Heaven—is not just real but present with us—here, there, everywhere, within, NEAR.  It is a reality incalculably more valuable than what is going on physically.

• So he invited us to TURN INTO this game —this perspective, this mental model, this soul mind, this spiritual way of seeing and being and doing.

.

Jesus HOLDING the Opposites in his Heart & in his Closest Community

Jesus’ own disciples represented both extremes of his time:

• Matthew, a tax collector—a man who had collaborated with Rome and likely enriched himself at the expense of his own people.

• Simon the Zealot—a man who likely wanted to overthrow Rome by force.

Two men from opposite sides of the political spectrum, yet both invited to walk with Jesus.

Why?

Because Jesus did not define people by their political roles.

He saw them from a spiritual perspective—not as oppressors or freedom fighters, but as souls.

Jesus did not let the politics or the religion of his time define him, his relationships, his love, his ministry 

- the opportunity to live in his unique Dance with the Divine, as he did - so beautifully, gracefully, practically...

Jesus Showing Us HOW to Live FOR, Not AGAINST — From a Higher Perspective

Jesus lived in a time of political division, oppression of many kinds, and under the heel of empire.

—far more intense than we do today (in much of our world) 

Yet he never let the struggle for or against the powers (of anything but the Divine) determine his mission.

• He did speak out against injustice—challenging corrupt religious leaders and questioning worldly authority.

• But he also refused to be consumed by the “us vs. them” mindset.

• Instead of choosing sides, he chose to walk IN Spirit.

Why?

Because he saw beyond the surface of power struggles.

His every word and action was not dictated by worldly resistance, or even religious structures—

but rather by what he saw the Father doing and what he heard the Father saying.

(As John’s Gospel says in different way, seven times)

His path was not determined by whether someone was resisting, complying, or just getting by.

He moved in step with a greater reality—one that was always present but rarely perceived.

This is the Way he invited his followers into—not ignoring social & political realities, but refusing to be ruled by them.

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Living The WAY of Jesus - then & now

Many of Jesus Followers Changed how they Lived & Loved in this world.  

After his death, some of his followers lived as family,
sharing their lives, resources, and connection across dividing lines.

Some Turned, practicing embodying the Presence of God on earth,

not by conquering, but by transforming
—from within their own heart & soul, and from there, into their life & world.

Today, we live in a time of political, social, religious tension and division 

- in the USA, and other parts of the world, as well.

Like Jesus’ time, people are pressured to choose sides: resist, or comply.

But what if we played a different game?

• What if, instead of fighting for dominance, we lived and loved radically?

• What if we saw every soul first from a spiritual perspective, rather than through human lenses/ labels?

• What if we refused to let the world’s conflicts define us:  Who they are? Who we are?

This is the game I mean to play, 

relative to the challenge of walking with Jesus, in my country, today. 

How about you?

imoe, ymmv
: )  w 

FYI - I found it interesting that this is what AI said when I asked about: 

Love Your Enemies, Do Good to Those Who Hate You: 

"

"Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you" is a phrase from the Bible,
specifically Luke 6:27, which instructs people to actively show kindness and compassion even towards those who oppose them;
essentially, responding to hatred with love and good deeds.

Key points about this teaching:

Radical act of love:

This concept goes against the typical notion of retaliation and encourages a higher moral standard by actively seeking the well-being of one's enemies. 

Example of Jesus:

Jesus himself exemplified this teaching by forgiving those who crucified him. 

Challenge to overcome evil with good:

By performing acts of kindness towards those who have wronged you, you can potentially change their hearts and promote peace. 

"

the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places

“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. The latter procedure, however, is disagreeable and therefore not popular.” (Carl Jung) 

I am hearing more chatter 

and more importantly, more folks are actually coming to me, lately, 

to purposely, overtly deal with their dark-side...

shadow, 

despair, 

deep fear/pain/shame, 

addictions, life out-of-control...

Instead of:

- I want to be fixed, well, happy, successful, abundant...

- Well, what I really want is a silver bullet to make things like they used to be, or better, or great...

Folks these days are more likely to say: 

let's deal with my dark side.

Um GREAT, and Hallelujah.

I see this as a very good sign for them, for me,

and a useful turn going on in our culture.

“The shadow goes by many familiar names: the disowned self, the lower self, the dark twin or brother in bible and myth, the double, repressed self, alter ego, id. When we come face-to-face with our darker side, we use metaphors to describe these shadow encounters: meeting our demons, wrestling with the devil, descent to the underworld, dark night of the soul, midlife crisis.” (Meeting the Shadow)

If we want to be Light.

If we want to shine Light in this world.

If we want to expereince who we really are: Whole and Complete in God.

If we want to really do, what we are here to do - what no one else can do...

Then we must say: hello darkness, my old friend.

Turn and face the dragon(s) that have been chasing us.

Make friends with our shadow.

In our Soul Evolution on this planet - individually and corporately - After living to the ultimate end of our Logical Consciousness and delving our Soul (Psychic) Consciousness;
On our way to Christ Consciousness and the beauty of Consciously living as One in the Reign (Kingdom) of God;Lies the Dark Night of the Soul - where our darkness is deeply realized and integrated. (my very poor paraphrase of Putting on the Mind of Christ: The Inner Work of Christian Spirituality)

In everyday terms, 

We must Learn from our despair, resistance, hate, hopelessness, doubt, anti-God... 

before we Heal and Grow through it, into Glory.

“The shadow, when it is realized, is the source of renewal; the new and productive impulse cannot come from established values of the ego. When there is an impasse, and sterile time in our lives—despite an adequate ego development—we must look to the dark, hitherto unacceptable side which has been at our conscious disposal….This brings us to the fundamental fact that the shadow is the door to our individuality. In so far as the shadow renders us our first view of the unconscious part of our personality, it represents the first stage toward meeting the Self. There is, in fact, no access to the unconscious and to our own reality but through the shadow. Only when we realize that part of ourselves which we have not hitherto seen or preferred not to see can we proceed to question and find the sources from which it feeds and the basis on which it rests. Hence no progress or growth is possible until the shadow is adequately confronted and confronting means more than merely knowing about it. It is not until we have truly been shocked into seeing ourselves as we really are, instead of as we wish or hopefully assume we are, that we can take the first step toward individual reality.” (Meeting the Shadow)

Where we trip, really is our treasure.

Let's Dig.

When we do, we are blessed.

And our world is also blessed by the fruit of our deep work.

“The shadow, when it is realized, is the source of renewal; the new and productive impulse cannot come from established values of the ego. When there is an impasse, and sterile time in our lives—despite an adequate ego development—we must look to the dark, hitherto unacceptable side which has been at our conscious disposal….This brings us to the fundamental fact that the shadow is the door to our individuality. In so far as the shadow renders us our first view of the unconscious part of our personality, it represents the first stage toward meeting the Self. There is, in fact, no access to the unconscious and to our own reality but through the shadow. Only when we realize that part of ourselves which we have not hitherto seen or preferred not to see can we proceed to question and find the sources from which it feeds and the basis on which it rests. Hence no progress or growth is possible until the shadow is adequately confronted and confronting means more than merely knowing about it. It is not until we have truly been shocked into seeing ourselves as we really are, instead of as we wish or hopefully assume we are, that we can take the first step toward individual reality.” (Meeting the Shadow)

.

Spiritually grow into LOVE, with Grace and Ease

Being OK with, and from there Loving, All that shows up

starts with BEing OK, with ourselves

and from there, Loving Ourselves.

Another way to say this is:
Being IN Love, Being Love with my sisters and brothers
starts with knowing I am OK in God
and from there, letting God love me.

For most of us, this is HARD.

Possibly Impossible.

I have found it is easier to be ok with myself, love myself;

when I am standing on a good foundation.

When I am identifying spiritually and in a spiritual consciousness, not merely flesh/ physical.

Another way to say this is:

I have found it is easier to know I am OK in God, and let God love me;

when I am standing on my true spiritual foundation.

Identifying with who I am spiritually, in God; and putting on the Mind of Christ (not merely flesh/ physical consciousness).

.

I interfaced this week with a man who means well,

and identifies as spiritual, as Christian.

But is very spiritually sensitive in certain ways, 
and therefore feels all the lies that people live.

He judges them, and presumably himself, for this very human pattern.

He identifies as someone who dislikes humankind and avoids human society.

Interfacing with him, helped me see, that most of us do this, to a degree 
(but we don't own it like he does ;)

We judge ourselves and others and the world, and God....

because 'how it is' doesn't measure up to our 'pictures'/ beliefs/ concepts 
of how we/ they/ it should be/ behave.

This is how most of us operate on the physical, in our everyday consciousness.
Judging that we do this doesn't help.  
It does help to note this is garden-variety human behavior ;)

.

BUT
It IS missing the mark.

Much more IS possible for our lives!

for our ability to BE with ourselves, others, this reality, God...

We can choose a trajectory that helps us get out of our own way:

• to BE
• to BE with
• to BE in compassion
• to Love
• to DO sweetness in the world, from there...

BTW,
This is not possible from a physical consciousness and identity.

Let me say it again:

This is not possible from a physical consciousness and identity.

The best the flesh/body can do in this direction, no matter how well-meaning, 

is strive to act 'good', pretense, hypocrisy = wearing the mask.


If one Believes God is Love, Another way to say this is:
the mind of the flesh is hostile to God...
Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God. 
Romans 8: 7, 8

.

BUT, meanwhile, it is very possible, as Spirit:

We can allow ourselves to 

Grow SPIRITUALLY into LOVE, with Grace and Ease.

Another way to say this is:
In the Spirit walk ye, and the desire of the flesh ye may not complete; 
for the flesh doth desire contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit contrary to the flesh...
And the fruit of the Spirit is: Love, joy, peace...
(from my favorite chapter of the Bible, since my teens) Galatians 5 (16, 17, 22)

.

From a spiritual perspective,

as we grow into a spiritual consciousness,

and we learn to identify as spirit in flesh...

(not just an evolved animal run by thoughts, beliefs, feelings, experiences, other people's programming, etc.)

We can grow into consciously being

OK with, 
and from there Loving All Our Relations

... including ourselves.

.

May we allow ourselves to 
May we allow God to

Spiritually grow us into LOVE, with Grace and Ease.

Amen, 

Wendy

... I think it is all about receiving Love spiritually,
and letting it pass through us to others...

kind of like spiritually, beholding and reflecting the Glory,

but a different spelling is:

spiritually, beholding and reflecting LOVE.

BTW, this post is one response to this FB post.