RETURN THE FLAG
During COVID-19, many people have gone through attics and basements, and some have found autographed Japanese flags from World War II. When Japanese soldiers went to war, many tucked into their uniform a flag that had been inscribed with messages from home. Greg Murphy of Portland, Oregon, found such a flag. “I realized then what that flag must have meant for somebody,” he said. “It would be like someone here losing someone and getting their dog tags back.” To commemorate last month’s 75th anniversary since the end of the war against Japan, Murphy sent the flag to an organization that specializes in returning such things. He received notice that the flag had been given to a nephew of the Japanese soldier who had carried it into battle. Murphy contributed to peace through an act of kindness to the family of a former enemy.
TURN THE CHEEK
Loving your enemies means not doing what the world says to do—always fight back, get your revenge on your enemies. Jesus says to show love toward them, something the world would never tell us to do. In this political season, when many people do not believe as we do and are happy to let us know it, our response must be to love them, not yell back at them.
Questions
- What, if anything, is the difference between letting someone wrong you and letting someone wrong others?
- How can we be merciful to our enemies the way God is toward His?
- What act of pure kindness could you perform for someone who is your enemy?
