believe God will restore whatever was lost in the process. The main thing is to love even when it isn’t easy.”
“Like loving your enemies.” Nelly’s voice was softer than before. “That’s what I mean. This part’s hard for me.”
Bella Joy read the rest of that night’s section. “Luke 6:32 to 36. ‘If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even “sinners” love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even “sinners” do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even “sinners” lend to “sinners,” expecting to be repaid in full. 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 sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful’.”
A silence hung over the room for several seconds. Finally Amy raised her brow and pursed her lips. Her cheeks filled and she exhaled like someone who’d just had her eyes opened. “Wow. I never really focused on these verses. That’s a powerful kind of love.”
“Or maybe it’s just craziness.” Nelly shared a look with Amy. “Don’t get me wrong, I want to please God like all of us. But there’s a line when it comes to people who’ve hurt us. I mean really, truly ripped out our hearts.”
Laura watched her two friends and tried to imagine the kind of pain they both must be feeling. Amy had been date-raped, which was practically all she’d told them about her time in Aruba. For Amy to love this man who had harmed her and taken advantage of her? It seemed an unreasonable request, a particularly painful one. Especially when Amy’s greatest enemy of all was the father of her two girls. And Nelly? Knowing that the love of your life betrayed you in a way that made you a public spectacle? Again, loving him still seemed more than God could ask of a person.
“The reality is, we can’t love like that on our own,” Megan took a drink of her water. “Remember Jesus on the cross? Some of his last words were a cry to His Father, that the people killing Him might be forgiven. That’s the only way we can love our enemies. Because He did it first.”
Amy sighed. “It’s a goal, that’s for sure.”
“Exactly.” Nelly crossed her arms. “In my heart of hearts I want to be that close to God, that I could love however and whomever He asks me to love.”
Anna pulled her knees to her chest and rocked a bit. “I guess that’s why we need the Scriptures as a whole, not just the parts.” She closed her Bible. “I mean, Philippians 4 tells us that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.”
Laura sat back, still struggling with the concept. “Hmmm. Strength to do whatever He asks. Even loving our enemies.” If she had been harmed like Amy and Nelly, Laura was pretty sure she’d have excused herself and gone home early tonight. The way Amy and Nelly were handling the topic, she had a deeper respect for them than ever before.
The study went longer than usual. After they finished with the verses, the conversation shifted to the wedding. Laura shared the last-minute details she and her mom were working on, and she showed them the photos from her fitting.
“You know what I think?” Amy put her arm around Laura’s shoulders. She and the others had formed a tight cluster around Laura on the sofa. “I think some of us have lives right out of a storybook. You, especially.”
“Let’s pray it stays that way.” Amy’s smile was genuine, without any of the self-pity she could’ve been feeling.
They closed the night by praying right where they sat, a circle of friends that neither time nor tests had torn apart. They prayed for Megan to have patience with her young children and for Amy to find strength as she raised her twin daughters. They pleaded with God to
“Like loving your enemies.” Nelly’s voice was softer than before. “That’s what I mean. This part’s hard for me.”
Bella Joy read the rest of that night’s section. “Luke 6:32 to 36. ‘If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even “sinners” love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even “sinners” do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even “sinners” lend to “sinners,” expecting to be repaid in full. 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 sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful’.”
A silence hung over the room for several seconds. Finally Amy raised her brow and pursed her lips. Her cheeks filled and she exhaled like someone who’d just had her eyes opened. “Wow. I never really focused on these verses. That’s a powerful kind of love.”
“Or maybe it’s just craziness.” Nelly shared a look with Amy. “Don’t get me wrong, I want to please God like all of us. But there’s a line when it comes to people who’ve hurt us. I mean really, truly ripped out our hearts.”
Laura watched her two friends and tried to imagine the kind of pain they both must be feeling. Amy had been date-raped, which was practically all she’d told them about her time in Aruba. For Amy to love this man who had harmed her and taken advantage of her? It seemed an unreasonable request, a particularly painful one. Especially when Amy’s greatest enemy of all was the father of her two girls. And Nelly? Knowing that the love of your life betrayed you in a way that made you a public spectacle? Again, loving him still seemed more than God could ask of a person.
“The reality is, we can’t love like that on our own,” Megan took a drink of her water. “Remember Jesus on the cross? Some of his last words were a cry to His Father, that the people killing Him might be forgiven. That’s the only way we can love our enemies. Because He did it first.”
Amy sighed. “It’s a goal, that’s for sure.”
“Exactly.” Nelly crossed her arms. “In my heart of hearts I want to be that close to God, that I could love however and whomever He asks me to love.”
Anna pulled her knees to her chest and rocked a bit. “I guess that’s why we need the Scriptures as a whole, not just the parts.” She closed her Bible. “I mean, Philippians 4 tells us that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.”
Laura sat back, still struggling with the concept. “Hmmm. Strength to do whatever He asks. Even loving our enemies.” If she had been harmed like Amy and Nelly, Laura was pretty sure she’d have excused herself and gone home early tonight. The way Amy and Nelly were handling the topic, she had a deeper respect for them than ever before.
The study went longer than usual. After they finished with the verses, the conversation shifted to the wedding. Laura shared the last-minute details she and her mom were working on, and she showed them the photos from her fitting.
“You know what I think?” Amy put her arm around Laura’s shoulders. She and the others had formed a tight cluster around Laura on the sofa. “I think some of us have lives right out of a storybook. You, especially.”
“Let’s pray it stays that way.” Amy’s smile was genuine, without any of the self-pity she could’ve been feeling.
They closed the night by praying right where they sat, a circle of friends that neither time nor tests had torn apart. They prayed for Megan to have patience with her young children and for Amy to find strength as she raised her twin daughters. They pleaded with God to
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