“Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” declares the Sovereign LORD.  “Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?”                                                                                                                                          – Ezekiel 18:23

Death is easy.  Anger is easy.  Hatred is easy.  It is natural for us to vilify our enemies.  It is natural for us to want to have them removed from our way, from our faces, and from our lives.  Nature teaches us that when animals compete for resources, they will fight until the strongest ones survive.  Only those who prove themselves to be best are fit for life in the animal kingdom.  This is why it is so unfortunate that an entire generation of school children has been taught that human beings are nothing more than overly intelligent animals.  If one believes himself to be an animal, and that life has neither reason nor purpose, then he will live by instinct and not by hope.  If the theory of evolution is true in every respect, then we are right to kill our enemies – not just to defend our families or our country, but for any reason.  People who are different pose a threat, and for us to live, all others must be subjugated or die.

Aren’t you glad that we serve a wise and wonderful creator who has given us a truly abundant life, as well as purpose and guidance so that we may live in the way that is most beneficial to His will?  His way is not the natural way of this fallen and sinful world, but a better way.  He wants to redeem all people, not destroy them.  He wants His children to think the same way.  Those you see as your enemies are not.  Only Satan, the prince of this world, is our enemy.  The people he uses in his schemes are often unknowing participants.  Those who differ with you politically, racially, nationally, or economically are not your enemies.  They are people God loves and Christ died to redeem.

God takes no pleasure in the downfall or destruction of the wicked, and we shouldn’t either. Jesus has shown us how we should treat those who hate us, attack us, slander us, or persecute us. If we are not obeying His command and His example to love our enemies, then we are out of line with His will. Let us be found faithful to the commands of our Lord, not to our urges of vengeance, greed, or domination.