6 March | Youth
«His enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.» Matthew 13:25
They say that a man's worth is measured by the number of his enemies. This thought is like a double-edged sword. It is true that a firm stance in defense of what is right may upset some. However, it does not seem to be a Christian attitude to freely confront those who oppose what we do, believe, are or represent. Jesus had many enemies. However, it does not appear that He provoked them to anger for the simple pleasure of “opposing.” In Jesus, God showed that it is possible to love your enemies, even if appreciating them and living with them is not always a viable option.
An example of how far enmity can take someone is what happened in 2010 in the south of the United States, in the city of Auburn. When the local team wins an American football championship, the tradition is to decorate the downtown trees with long strips of white paper. It is a beautiful sight to see. On both sides, the main avenue is completely white, from one end to the other, forming a long and beautiful corridor. One time, the imminence of this celebration disturbed the opposing team's fierce fans. Before the tournament ended, some of them secretly injected a powerful poison into the trees in the city center, killing almost all of them. That year, there would be no party with decorated trees. The joyful stage of celebration of the winning team was sabotaged by those who, out of envy and revenge, were unable to assimilate the defeat.
God also has an enemy who never accepted defeat. This usurper was defeated on the cross. Even so, he is willing to ruin the party that God prepared for His children, so he sows tares among the wheat and poisons our minds with evil thoughts, mistrust, suspicion, envy and hatred. He does not like the clearness of God's character nor the atmosphere of joy and peace with which the Lord wants to surround His followers. In this conflict, there is only one way to be on the wrong side: by failing to win the daily battle against ourselves, against our unsanctified nature. Would you like to achieve victory and be rewarded by Heaven? Ask God to give you today the blessings that Jesus has already won for you!