Here we move from the emotional and verbal aspects of Agape love, to the actions that naturally follow. This is a progressive process that begins in the heart, (love) is expressed with the tongue, (bless) and now finds itself manifested in deeds: “Do good to them that hate you.”
I remember reading an early story from one of Watchman Nee’s books where he was holding a training meeting and many of his leaders from various regions in China were coming for instruction. A group from a certain province had a problem they needed help with, and they brought the matter to Watchman Nee for his advice. Here was the situation:
The group had a terrace farming operation on the side of a steep hill and every evening they would pump water into a containment pool to prepare for the following morning when they needed to water their crops. The man who farmed the field below them would sneak out at night and drain their water onto his crops so, when they came out the next morning, they had to refill their pool again before they could water their own fields.
Having tolerated this for quite some time, they had hoped he would quit taking their water seeing they were doing the “Christian” thing and suffering his abuse in an effort to set a Christian example. They had finally come to the point where they were wondering if there might be a better way.
Watchman Nee’s advice was quite astounding. He told them what they were doing was the ‘good’ rather than the ‘Christian’ thing. The Christian thing, he said, would be to go down first and pump the other man’s water for him, and only then pump their own for the morning after. According to the story, they did so, and not long after, the man repented of his selfish deeds and became a Christian.
That account has always stuck in my mind as a great example of this passage fulfilled in a real-life situation. It may seem extreme but this kind of Christianity is not for the timid.
Life presents us with many opportunities to respond to those around us with either evil or good. When we began to see every situation of our daily lives as a chance to witness for Christ and to advance our own spiritual growth in the process, things we might normally consider a bother, or even a threat, can become open doors for reaching out to others.
As believers, the Holy Spirit is alive in us during every moment of our life and He is able to take something meant for our harm and transform it into an opportunity to glorify and reveal Christ to others, even our enemies. However, we must keep our eyes open and our ears tuned to the voice of the Holy Spirit within us if we are to seize the moment when such an opportunity arrives.
Look for occasions to do good; resist the natural temptation to react and instead try to act as you think Christ would in any given situation. It may not diffuse the other person’s negative emotions, but you will at least avoid infecting your own life with the tremendous and debilitating power of hatred.
Great points made. Now I must apply to my life. Thanks, Craig.