This past year I read a book titled, “Foster the Family”, written by Jamie C Finn. Some of you may already know, our daughter, Sarah and our son-in-law, Jacob are foster parents. They had their approval meeting on January 27, 2023. In preparation for helping them with the children, I have been reading a lot of books on foster care. Hands down, this is the best one I have read so far. (Thank you, Deb Trojak!)

This book has changed me and my thinking in many ways. As a foster parent, Jamie is often in the position to not only care for foster children but also the biological parents of these children. Jamie talks about her struggles with the
biological parents and how she classifies them as enemies. She states that this helps her because she then knows how to treat them because the Bible is clear on how we are to treat our enemies. The name “enemy” includes those that hurt her or the children a little or a lot.

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
Luke 6:27-28

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone…On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Romans 12:17, 20

“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a
blessing.” 1 Peter 3:9

“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”
Matthew 5:44

Not easy, I know!

Jamie sums up her chapter on the topic this way: “God’s direction for dealing with our enemies is counterintuitive,
countercultural, seemingly counterproductive. I’m the first one to get my back up and stand up for myself and others, and verses about “blessing” and “doing good” are like a slap in the face to my sense of justice and righteousness and, well, self-righteousness.
“The ability to love our enemies is found in a deep trust in our God. In our finiteness, we think that if we don’t see and experience justice now, injustice must be reigning. But our God always reins. He will right every wrong and repair every broken thing. He will punish wrong and defeat evil. Sometimes He will even restore and redeem what we—in our limited wisdom—thought needed to be punished and defeated. In any case, God will have the final word with our enemies. In every case, He will reward our love to them.
“But friend, you were loved by God when you were hard to love. You still are. “beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11). When I’m weary and weak and unwilling, I remember this love—shown to an enemy—that has colored ever part of my life. It is the love of Christ that made my dead heart alive and able to love and that gives me the strength to do all things, even love my foster child’s family. “

This is all very fascinating to me, but what does it mean to me? I may never meet a biological parent of a foster child, but all the same, I need to show love to those that hurt me and others “a little or a lot”. I need to love people who are different from me. I need to love people who think differently than me. I need to love those who persecute me. I need to love those that have a differing political view than me. I need to love people who look different from me. I need to love those that don’t like me. I need to love those that say mean things about me, true or not true. I think you get the picture. It all comes down to love. It doesn’t mean we have to agree with any sin associated with these our enemies, but we need to love the people committing those sins. In the words of Lord, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Although, God has been working this out in my heart for quite some time, God really got my attention when I read it in this book. This is such a challenge for me. Maybe you too?

Precious Heavenly Father, I thank you for this day and I pray that you help me to love like you love. You know that some are easier than others. Help me to see what you see in each of the people I come across. I know you created each one of us and you love each one of us. Help us to focus on the things we have in common, not our differences. Help us love you and people. In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.