Our culture (religious and otherwise) seems to have an understanding of how we are to treat each other as human beings. The glorious golden rule: treat others as you would like to be treated. Of course, we only really follow that when it’s convenient. I see plenty of people not treating others how they would like to be treated. Just yesterday I saw a woman rudely chew out a girl for talking during a movie. Sure, it was somewhat warranted, but you don’t need to tell her she’s “one of the rudest effing people she’s ever met.” There’s a much more caring way to say such things.

For the Christian, Jesus raised the bar. We’re not only to treat others fairly, but we’re supposed to love people. Even our enemies. Actually, especially our enemies. Everyone loves people who love them back, but we show our obedience to God by loving the “hard people” and being sacrificial in our relationships.

But long before Jesus, King David was stepping up in a huge way. Reading through the Psalms it seems like he was often in turmoil, or getting slaughtered on the battle field, or his enemies would be pressing in around him. But in Psalm 35 he gives us a further glimpse of his prayer life. He not only prays for his enemies, he laments with them. He is compassionate towards their pain and sickness. He fasts to prepare his soul and loves them like a friend, brother, or mother even.

If we were to love the people in our lives who are treating us much better than David’s enemies, in the way that David loved his enemies, how much greater of a world would this be? More than that, how much greater would be the perception of the God we serve? May it be so.