I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. (Mt. 5:43-48)

Jesus gives us more teachings that are hard. Love your enemies, pray for your persecutors. We are to imitate God who showers blessings on the just and the unjust. If we are truly to be children of our heavenly Father, we are to imitate God as we are made in his image. While few true disciples of Christ could ever claim to have real enemies, we all have someone who has hurt us deeply at one time or another and loving them with an agape love has tested us. The love to which we are called not only can free the other person, but definitely can free us.