"If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee." - Proverbs 25:21-22
One of my friends and students at The School of Friendship, Comfort Arthur, told me one day in a conversation, "Your enemy is your potential friend."
Dr. Mike Murdock also writes, "Your adversary is a possible friend." This may be difficult for some people to grasp for so many reasons including our social construct, cultural orientation and philosophical perspectives. But God's word gives us a greater view of how to relate with our enemies.
"The greatest way to view your enemy is to view him as a potential friend." - John Arthur.
Jesus Christ said, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies..." (Matthew 5:43-44).
President Abraham Lincoln was once criticized of his love for his enemies. An associate asked, 'Why do you try to make friends of them; why don't you try to destroy them?' President Lincoln gently replied, "Am I not destroying my enemies when I make them my friends?"
"Loving your enemy can destroy all his adversarial powers and turn him into a friend." - John Arthur.
When someone reveals himself to you as an enemy, don't become an enemy to him; instead, show him that you're a friend - love him as Jesus Christ says; feed him when he's hungry, give him water to drink when he's thirsty and pray for God to change them.
In this way, you will eventually turn an enemy into a friend, and mostly importantly maintain your character and nature as a friend, instead of allowing them to turn you into an enemy. Remember this: When you become a friend, you have friends forever.
Kind regards,
JOHN ARTHUR,
AUTHOR | SPEAKER | PRESIDENT,
THE SCHOOL OF FRIENDSHIP.
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