Loving Judas: Change What You Think You Know

Let's start this devotional off with two questions.

1. Who is someone you do not like or would even say you hate?
2. What first thought comes to your mind when you say their name?

You may be filled with anger and disgust for this person right now. Be honest with yourself and realize you do not wish the best for them. You would rather watch their demise than their salvation. You pray for the world to know Jesus and experience eternity in Heaven with Him. However, you seem to leave out your enemy's name when praying for all to come to know Christ.

Now, change how you think. Change your thinking because that is what Jesus called us to do. Before we focus on the main verses for today, Matthew 5:43-44, let's focus on how Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, said, "You have heard that it was said, but I say to you. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you..."

The section on "Loving Your Enemies" starts in Matthew 5:43 with Jesus saying, "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'" When Jesus starts with those words, He commands His listeners to forget what they heard in the past and listen to what He has to say now. But that command was not just for those listening to Jesus. We, too, must stop thinking about what the world says about our enemies and think about them the way Jesus says to love them.

How do we change our minds? We do so by thinking Heavenly thoughts. Colossians 3:1 says, "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God."

The religious leaders at the time of the Sermon on the Mount focused on the Old Testament law and hated those who did wrong to them. But Jesus came to fulfill the law and add further details to it. His teachings and thoughts were so different from what so many believed before He came. His teachings are incredibly different from what the world tells us to do today. Many will tell us to hate our enemies and not pray for them. But Jesus commands us to forget what we have heard and listen to and obey His commandments.

As hard as it is, we are to love our enemies and pray for them. Change the way you think today by setting your mind on Heavenly thoughts. Change the way you treat others by treating them the way Jesus treats you. You were once an enemy of Jesus, but He still loves you. Why can we not do the same for others?

References: NIV Application Study Bible, Bible Ref, John MacArthur Bible Commentary