When They Hate, We Love

It’s easy to love the ones who love us back. But what about the people who hurt us, gossip about us, reject us, or even hate us? That’s where love becomes more than a word, it becomes a calling.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:44, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Those words cut deep, don’t they? Because everything in us wants to defend ourselves, lash out, or at least withhold kindness. But Jesus calls us higher.

Love is not a feeling, it’s a choice. Feelings flare up, demanding retaliation. But love chooses obedience over emotion. Jesus showed us this when He hung on the cross, praying for His executioners: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” That kind of love doesn’t come from human willpower. It flows only from a heart surrendered to Him.

And prayer is where that surrender begins. When we pray for those who hurt us, we’re not excusing their actions, we’re letting God protect our own hearts from bitterness. Sometimes, prayer softens the other person. Sometimes, it doesn’t. But prayer always changes us.

Loving others doesn’t mean staying in harmful situations. Healthy boundaries matter. Jesus Himself withdrew from the crowds at times. But even with boundaries, our hearts can remain tender. We can step away without wishing harm. We can protect ourselves while still praying for God’s best for them.

Because here’s the truth: the world expects hate for hate. But when we respond with grace, we reflect Christ in a way that no sermon or lecture ever could. Paul reminds us in Romans 12:21, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

We cannot do this in our own strength. Loving those who wound us requires the Spirit of God working through us. But when we choose love, even when it hurts, we mirror the One who loved us first, while we were still His enemies.

So today, remember this: when they hate, we love. Not because it’s easy, not because it feels good, but because Jesus first loved us. And that love changes everything.

A Personal Reflection

I’m writing this because of what I’ve seen recently. With the heartbreaking assassination of Charlie Kirk and the upcoming California Will Be Saved event in my own town of Crestline, there has been so much hate, division, and backlash. What has grieved me most, though, is watching how quickly even fellow Christians can slip into responding with anger, arguments, and hostility.

I understand the temptation. I’ve felt it too. But the truth is, when we respond to hate with hate, we lose sight of the One we’re representing. We’re not called to mirror the world, we’re called to mirror Christ.

My prayer is that when Crestline sees Christians this week, they won’t just see loud voices or defensive arguments. I pray they’ll see radical love. The kind of love that doesn’t make sense apart from Jesus. Because when they hate, we love. And in that love, we point the world back to Him.