We live in a society that thrives on divisiveness. We are labeled and categorized according to our thoughts, beliefs, and values and then pitted against those who sit on the opposite side of the aisle. There is no opportunity for unity, bipartisanship, or reconciliation except in the most dire of circumstances (i.e., a national tragedy like 9/11). Between church and work I spend the majority of my time with people who fall into specific groups (Republicans, conservatives, Christians, pro-lifers), and I've found that it is very difficult for people, even Christians, to have genuine, benevolent feelings towards people who fall into an opposing group (in this case, liberals, Democrats, Muslims, and pro-choicers). We tend to treat the opposition as enemies, thinking they embody all that is wrong with our country. In other words, we tend to love our neighbor and hate our enemy.

This contradicts what Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:43-44, ''You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.'' I have trouble reconciling these words with the venom I hear in some Christians' voices when speaking about liberals, Democrats, or pro-choicers, or even with the feelings that stir up in my own heart from time to time when listening to someone who thinks, feels, and acts differently than me.

So if we are to love our enemies, what does that love look like? Besides things like forgiveness and compassion, I think love for one's enemies should lead to one definite result: evangelism. Many Christians I come into contact with seem to rejoice when an enemy stumbles (when a politician is caught in corruption or a convicted felon is sentenced to death row). I imagine it is similar to the feeling someone who is hostile towards Christians gets when a prominent minister is caught in homosexuality or with a prostitute. We enjoy the fact that this person is getting what they deserve, that God is punishing them. We seem to forget that we were no better off before we received God's grace. If we were honest with ourselves and looked into the absolute depths of our hearts, I think we would find that we would rather see our enemies receive God's wrath than his salvation.

I think in essence we think and behave a lot like Jonah:

Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, ''Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.'' But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD...

When God saw what [the Ninevites] did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the LORD and said, ''O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.''

(Jonah 1:1-3, 3:10, 4:1-3)

Jonah was so prejudiced towards the Ninevites that he would rather have seen them perish than come to a saving knowledge of the Lord. He was so blinded by earthly concerns that he could no longer allow himself to see God's eternal goals. I fear that this is an all too real temptation for many Christians (including myself). When we allow ourselves to get wrapped up in the various political and religious debates of our day, we remain focused on earthly divisions rather than eternal struggles.

In contrast, there is another man in Scripture who was faced with a similar situation as Jonah that better embodies what our feelings should be:

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, ''Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'' And he said, ''Who are you, Lord?'' And he said, ''I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.'' The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, ''Ananias.'' And he said, ''Here I am, Lord.'' And the Lord said to him, ''Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.'' But Ananias answered, ''Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.'' But the Lord said to him, ''Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.'' So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, ''Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.'' And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.

(Acts 9:1-19)

Like Jonah, Ananias was called to minister to an enemy of his people. Like Jonah, Ananias did not understand why God had chosen to show grace instead of judgment. Like Jonah, Ananias did not want to go. So why is Ananias an example for how Christians should respond and Jonah an example of how they shouldn't? Because unlike Jonah, Ananias obeyed.

We may find certain people abhorrent because they are actively hostile towards Christians or because they support murdering unborn children or because they stand for the complete opposite of everything we value, but this does not excuse our behaving like Jonah. Jesus has called us to preach the Gospel and he has called us to love our enemies, and our only duty is to obey. Like Jonah, we may think that our refusal to minister to them will thwart God's grace and bring God's judgment, but we learn from Jonah and Ananias that God's plans will be fulfilled whether we cooperate initially or not.

It is not always easy to see our enemies as God does and to treat them likewise, but as St. Teresa said, ''I know the power obedience has of making things easy which seem impossible.'' All we need to do is obey God's command to love our enemies, and he will provide the strength necessary to love them. We may live in divisive times, but that does not excuse our own divisiveness. Christians should be the ones bridging the gap between liberals and conservatives and Republicans and Democrats. We should not be the ones making the gap wider.

''You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.''