If we are truly children of God the Father, Jesus warns us, we must adopt God s outlook as our own. The motivation behind our love for one another transcend personal attraction an sociological considerations. We learn love from the way God loves us. Family love or love based on attraction always draws lines which include some and exclude others. Jesus challenge of love for our enemies cuts directly to the heart of our sinful way of loving that we consider both normal and necessary.
Love of enemies is the criterion of true, all-embracing love.
To do good to those who do not reciprocate or who respond with injury tests the extent of our love. But this love should not be confused with a weak, naive attitude that condones evil or tolerates injustice. Love means seeking the other person s true good, not just their comfort or appeasement. This is the task ever before us. David s compassion was not a sign of weakness, but of strength only his assurance of the Lord s power behind him could give him the confidence to love his sworn enemy in this way.