How Can We Love Our Political Enemies?

“We may not be able to prevent other people from being our enemies, but we can prevent ourselves from being enemies toward others.” ~ Warren Wiersbe

A dear mentor of mine would often say, “our highest calling as a Christ follower is to walk in love.” Easy to say, but very hard to do when we have to love the “unlovable.”

The current political situation in America has brought a tremendous amount of division, even in the body of Christ. I don’t know who it was that said that politics and religion should not be mixed. The elections of 2020 have proven this statement to be true. Many Christians, myself included, have been challenged to love their brothers and sisters in the faith that have different political views from them. Christian leaders have publicly voiced their strong evaluation on the political candidate they didn’t want, and others have countered argued. With all this bickering, we have become enemies of sorts.

Where once there was love and unity, opposing political perspectives have brought animosity and dissension in our relationships.

I myself had a very painful experience recently with someone dear to me. Due to our contrary political beliefs, this person ended our friendship. She actually said “Since you believe in that party, I cannot be friends with you anymore.” It’s honestly been heartbreaking for me. I’m sure there are other stories similar to mine. For many, loving one another in this season seems next to impossible, and those with differing perspectives have become “the opponent.”

I can’t help but wonder, what would Jesus do if He were walking amongst us in these days? By reading His Word, the Holy Bible, we learn that He would love His enemies (you can click here to read what the Bible says about loving your enemies). Seems impossible doesn’t it? I believe it’s a decision we each have to make for ourselves.

How can we love our enemies?

Here are 4 ways we can love those that we don’t agree with, those we feel are our “enemies.”

1. Listen well

Listening is an act of love. You honor God when you are intentional in being kind as you connect with others. Your ability to communicate well with others can either enhance or impair your relationships. Being a good listener, being mindful of your body language and tone of voice are some keys to communicating well.

Loving our enemies is an opportunity for spiritual growth refining us to be more like Christ.

Being kind means listening without interrupting and not attacking the other persons perspective. Sometimes the wisest option may be to remain silent and not respond at all. Jesus remained silent when He stood before Pilate (Matthew 26:62-63).

2. Agree to disagree

When we feel strongly about our beliefs, we can become very passionate. Passion is a good thing, but can come across as harsh and hurtful. I know because I am a passionate person and have oftentimes unintentionally hurt people with my intensity. I have learned that sometimes it’s best to agree to disagree. It’s wise to make a boundary with those that you are not like minded with to not discuss your differences. I had to do this recently with a family member. Since we both believe in different political parties and we are both passionate people, our discussion unexpectedly, became argumentative. We finally had to conclude that we weren’t going to convince the other who is right or wrong. We decided we would not talk politics together again. This boundary is working well for our relationship, allowing us to love one another through our differences.

3. Don’t judge or criticize

Many of us become judgmental when others don’t line up with what we believe to be right. We can become critical when we feel strongly about something (like politics). However, God has clearly told us that He alone has the authority to judge. In James 4:12, His word tell us, “God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?” Judging others is dishonoring to the Lord, and therefore, we must be careful to not criticize others.

It’s important that we keep our hearts and minds pure before the Lord.

This applies to our thoughts as well. It’s important to remember that we can’t hide from the Lord. He sees our heart. Repentance and confession is the pathway to a pure heart and ought to be a part of a Christian’s daily life. The reality is that what is in our hearts will come out in our conversations because “what you say flows from what is in your heart” (Luke 6:45). We need to “let everything we say be good and helpful, so that our words will be an encouragement to those who hear them” (Ephesians 4:29).

I have had to repent of my anger and critical spirit more than once in this season. Doing so, however, has drawn me closer to the Lord. He knows and sees our struggles and He is blessed when we resist the desires of our flesh but live in the His Spirit. He tells us in Galatians 5:16, “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”

Repentance and confession help us to stay accountable to God.

4. Ask God to help

One way we can learn to love our enemies is to pray and ask God to give us His heart for them. God loves us all and wants none of us to perish but all to come to Him (2 Peter 3:9). We must try to see others the way the Lord does. It also helps to remember that we are in a spiritual battle and that the enemy will always try to bring hatred and division, and especially in the body of Christ. The Bible tells us, “A home filled with strife and division destroys itself” (Mark 3:25)

“For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens” (Ephesians 6:12).

Never underestimate the power of prayer. God is a god of miracles and He can turn hate into love, but we must ask for His support.

Loving those that are “unlovable” tests the condition of our hearts.

I have been extremely challenged in this season, especially when reading the harsh words of a brother or sister in Christ that has openly voiced their dislike of the political leader that I respect and care about. In these moments I have to remind myself that my commitment is to my Lord Jesus Christ. No matter who is president, Jesus will always be my King, my Lord and my Savior. Since I love Him and want to please Him I am encouraged to live by His commandments. He has clearly told me that when I love my enemies I am acting as a true child of His. My motivator to love my “enemies” is simple: Because God says so.

“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says.” ~ James 1:22

I pray that your love for your Creator motivates you to act on what He asks of you. In this time of political discord, I’m so grateful for what my mentor taught me as a baby Christian- that as a Christ follower, we must always walk in love, for God has asked us to be as holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16).

May we, His children, strive to love others as He loves us. Living Christ’s way is never going to be easy, but it is an avenue to deeper intimacy with Him. Moreover, we team up with our Lord to help draw those that don’t know Him to have a desire to know Him. What the world needs today, more than anything, is love, the sweet love of Jesus. It starts in the home, within the body of Christ.

May we be conduits of Jesus’s love by loving our political enemies.

If you are struggling to love your political enemies, I encourage you to seek God and ask for His assistance. He will be faithful to a heart that is ready to live life His way.

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. ” ~ Matthew 5:43-48