Day 11:Courage to Love Your Enemies

Devotional:
When Jesus hung on the cross, suffering for sins He didn’t commit, He was surrounded by mockers, doubters, and two guilty thieves. One thief kept insulting Him, but the other had a change of heart and asked Jesus to remember him. Even in His pain, Jesus responded with mercy, promising, “Today you will be with Me in paradise.” That scene shows us it’s never too late to turn to Jesus, and it’s never too late for Him to respond in love. Jesus could have focused on His own suffering, but He chose to extend grace to someone everyone else had written off. Loving people who are wrong, rude, or guilty is the kind of courage that looks just like Jesus. His love meets us in our worst moments, and then invites us to give that love away.

Choosing to pray for the person who betrayed you, talked about you, or treated you like an enemy is choosing the cross over clapbacks.

Let’s Talk To God: Jesus, thank You for loving me at my worst and welcoming me when I don’t deserve it. Give me courage to extend that same grace to others, even when it’s hard.

Reflection: What would it look like for you to respond more like Jesus and less like your feelings when someone hurts you?