A Present for my Enemies

Do you memorize scripture?  I like to and teach my kids to memorize scripture.  From when they could talk, we would practice different Bible verses.  No, they did not understand them.  Nor were they always said correctly.  But understanding is built upon a foundation of knowledge.  Memorized scripture? A foundation of knowledge.

I started with Psalm 23.  I say a verse, she repeats.  The whole chapter is only six verses.  How hard could it be?  Verse five: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies… and my daughter repeats “I give a gift to my enemies.”

I give a gift to my enemies?  She understood presence to be presents.  As a child, she likes to receive presents, so why wouldn’t her enemies?  I correct her.  Gently, of course, but firmly.  The next night? “I give presents to my enemies.”

She got me thinking.  JESUS says to Love our enemies.  What does that mean?  My oldest might be on to something in her misunderstanding.  Maybe we should give our enemies a gift?  A gift of a positive thought?  A gift of refraining from a biting word about them?  It’s hard to love my enemies but maybe I’ll start with a gift.

LORD, help us to give presents to our enemies.  It is easy to ignore our enemies but to love them… help us.  Help us to give our enemies a positive word, a gesture of reconciliation.  All motivated out of an expression of love for YOU…