“When you come upon your enemy’s ox or donkey going astray, you shall bring it back. When you see the donkey of one who hates you lying under its burden and you would hold back from setting it free, you must help to set it free.” – Exod 23.4-5 NRSV
Do you hear the call to love your enemies?
This is a call that echoes throughout the history of God’s people—way back to the Israelites and the law given to Moses on Mount Sinai. Here, God gives some practical advice: return your enemy’s lost donkey; help your enemy unload their donkey after a long journey.
Now, I know that none of my enemies have donkeys and oxen, and I’m guessing the same is true for you. These kinds of cultural details always fascinate me and remind me that the biblical text was written in a context very different from my own. But even though we don’t live in a world of donkeys and oxen, the spirit of this passage—which echoes throughout Scripture and our faith tradition—is one that can and should be applied today.
This passage calls us to do good unto our enemies, in turn calling us to do good to all people. Here, we are called to treat our enemies like we would treat our brothers and sisters, chasing after their stray dog and helping them unload their groceries on a hot summer day. And as we do good unto our enemies, we open ourselves to the possibility that today’s enemies just might become tomorrow’s friends.
No comments:
Post a Comment