Day 8 - Show love for everyone... even enemies.

December 1 thru December 25 I am posting about movies which reflect each day's focus for #LightTheWorld.

Day 8

"Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you." (Matthew 5:44)

"... pray for them which despitefully use you." For years I struggled with the why. Why should I pray for my enemies? I didn't wish my enemies harm, but why should I pray for them when I am the one injured? I finally came to understand... because they are full of poison. When someone lashes out or inflicts poison (so to speak), it's because they are filled with poison themselves. So I pray for them.

But talk about loving enemies and doing good to them that hate you, I think of Hacksaw Ridge (2016), based on the true story of Desmond T. Doss (portrayed by Andrew Garfield) who served as a medic in the army during World War II and refused to take up arms. He was bullied, beaten, and nearly court-martialed but eventually allowed to go to war without a weapon. His squad was not happy about it. Since Private Doss won't kill an enemy soldier, surely he will put them at risk. Yet, after a terrible battle on Hacksaw Ridge, he carried wounded to safety throughout the night, praying, "Lord, help me get one more, please. Help me get one more." With strength beyond his own, he rescued over 75 men, including many who had beaten and abused him.

Fandango MovieClips Trailer: Hacksaw Ridge

(This film is rated R for the blood, gore, graphic war scenes, mild swearing and sometimes vain references to deity. If you find some or all of those elements offensive, you can watch it filtered (I did) with ClearPlay, or wait for an edited version on television.)

Today I will be kind to someone who has been unkind to me.



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