Ditching Your Enemies

This morning I was reading Exodus 23, and almost choked on my oatmeal when I read :

⁴ “If you come across your enemy’s ox or ass wandering off, be sure to return it. ⁵ If you see the ass of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it.

If I saw someone who was my enemy, who despised me, and made my life miserable, in trouble, I would be very tempted to leave them in their hot stinking mess! While reading the passage I had a vivid image of myself driving past an enemy who had broken down on the road. In my imagination I am more likely to think “yeah, serves you right, you ghastly excuse for a human” than “oh dear brother/sister, let me help you change your tire even though you did or said xyz the other day.” God’s call for us is radical. Radically challenging, and completely against the grain. We aren’t allowed to get away with mererly wishing our enemies well, or loving them in our hearts. He wants us to show physically and tangibly our commitment to their wellbeing. To walk the walk that goes with the talk.

Bottom line. Cover your enemy’s ass.