Love Your Enemies. . .

This past Saturday we were at the University of South Alabama football game, as we usually are

(Photo credit: alwright1)

during football season.  But an interesting thing besides football happened on that field while we were there.

South Alabama was playing Nicholls State from Thibodaux, Louisiana and one of their players was injured.  We waited as the trainers attended him but when the cart wheeled onto the field we realized it might be more serious that just a pulled muscle or a cramp.

It was then that the entire South Alabama football team and coaches made a huddle around the player and trainers on the field.  They motioned for the Nicholls State players on the field to join them and together the two teams prayed for the wounded player.

The crowd was clearly moved.  Quiet, respectful applause went up as they prayed and at the end of the prayer the applause grew to a loud ovation.  These two teams, who had been fiercely playing against each other for half the game, came together to pray for the player who was hurt. . .no matter which uniform he was wearing.

Before he was wheeled away to the hospital, the player on the cart waved to the fans to let them know he was better than we thought and again applause erupted from the stands.

If nothing else, Christians should be known to be good-hearted and kind.  We should be those who are "swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath."   Let us remember when the circumstances of life put us in opposition to others, that the Lord Jesus called us to "Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you,"  (Luke 6:28.) 

It is not how we respond when we are treated well which most shows the character of our Lord in us, but how we respond when we are ill-treated.  We have the example of our Lord to follow and the leading of His Holy Spirit in us to work out His love and mercy and forgiveness in and through us toward others.  

"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.   And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."

James 3:17, 18 

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Go Jags!