What a challenge, loving one’s enemy. When someone curses you, it’s not your natural inclination to bless them. If someone stomps on your foot, it’s very tempting to stomp back. When someone takes advantage of you, plans for getting even form in your brain. (Btw, that’s a universal “you” that includes me, too—we’re all human.) But Jesus calls us to a higher standard. Because being kind to unkind people doesn’t come naturally to most of us, the final instruction in this Scripture seems the best battle plan: PRAY. Pray for the one who seeks to harm you (but not a muttered, “God, get’em!” LOL). Pray for opportunities to show them Christ’s love. Pray for their hearts to be softened so they’ll hear and heed God’s invitation to be part of His family. Pray that they will love themselves enough (because what’s on the inside always comes out—hateful people are full of ugly, and that’s sad) to want to be a better person. And guess what? It’s really hard to stay upset with someone for whom you’re praying. So the prayer changes you, too. That’s a win-win.