But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Luke 6:35 NIV
This is a tough verse. If you are human, this is tough.
I have had people treat me very poorly as the years have gone along. It has taken everything I had not to fight back. I struggle turning the other cheek. The awareness that judgement and payment will be handled by God helps, but it is not what the human mind desires. We want revenge. The good news and bad news is that vengeance belongs to the Lord.
All of this being said, this verse says to “love your enemies”. That’s tough. It’s very hard. Difficult. The hardest word here is love. It’s one thing to be nice. It’s even doable to turn the other cheek. It is love that makes this verse difficult.
Listen to this verse though. Do this “then your reward will be great.” That sounds good. In fact, it sounds really good. God’s reward is always great. This one will be no different.
God is lighting up an area for us. He put an x over the spot. There is treasure within. It is up to us to do the work of digging it out. The reward will be great. Put yourself aside. Do what God asks. It is His command. He is kind enough to give us a reward for doing it. Such grace and mercy.