Most of my "enemies" are those people who cheer against my favorite sports teams. I was humbled this past week by a story from some of our fellow Christians in Sidi, Burkina Faso, whose real-life enemies are so much more burdensome than mine.
When new leadership
took office in Sidi a while back, there was an attempt to get rid of all
Christians in the area because they refused to offer a sacrifice to
ancient ancestors as an act of religious worship. It was so severe that
threats to kill and destroy anyone not compliant with this new ruling
poisoned all aspects of life in Sidi. Christians were also told to not
plant any of their crops, which would also serve as a death sentence if
they could not feed their families, as well as providing a source of
income. Many religious leaders attempted to meet with the new village
leaders to try to negotiate a peace plan, but the leaders kept avoiding
them, and a period of grave uncertainty hung over the entire village.
Despite all of the threats, Christians decided to trust in God’s
protection, and planted their crops as usual, knowing that there could
be problems down the road. Their story reminds me of the time Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into a fiery furnace for not bowing to
a false God.
The stalemate continued through the growing season with
no actions taken against the Christians, but the tensions continued as
harvest time approached. When the village leader found himself in need
of help with his cotton crop, the Christians decided to step forward and
help him bring in one of the most labor-intensive crops in the
area. Not only was this leader blown away by the unsolicited act of
generosity, he was impressed that Christians had done this after he had
been the vocal critic of their very existence in the village. They truly
had made him feel like hot coals had been poured over his head (Romans
12:20), and they had shown him that God’s love often comes from the most
unexpected source.
Perhaps your next-door neighbor would see
the same thing in you if you offered to wash their car or mow their lawn
after you just argued over the presidential candidates or some other
controversy. Who is God calling you to love in his name? Who is the most
detestable person you know, that might see God through your actions?
Matthew
5:43-44 (NIV): "You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor
and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, ‘Love your enemies, and pray for
those who persecute you."
