Fear in our communities, beyond makes us look for enemies to blame

According to the root meaning of our word “enemy,” I must have a lot of them. The root has to do with “non-friend.”

Well, I have lots of “non-friends.” So do you. Does that mean you really have more enemies than you thought before you read this paragraph?

If you tend toward paranoia, perhaps so.

But it seems to me that to be my enemy, you would have to do more than simply be someone who, for a variety of circumstances, is not my friend.

In the New Testament, the word we translate as “enemy” actually means “non-compatriot.” Is that the same as a non-friend?

It had a heavier connotation than non-friend.

A non-compatriot in the Gospels was someone with whom you didn’t associate because you were not of the same ethnic group or political group.

For the Jews in Jesus’ time, “The enemy” really was Roman occupation of Palestine.

And yet Jesus was quoted a few times as saying “love your enemies,” and “pray for your enemies.” Why did Jesus want the Jewish peasants to love the Roman soldiers who exercised nearly total control over their lives?

Jesus didn’t even support resistance against Rome, did he? What was he thinking? In fact, his strategy of “paying to Caesar what belongs to Caesar” was one reason the Jewish resistance leaders wanted him out of the way.

I sense that “enemy” was not a word used to describe people with whom Jews had disagreements. It was a word saved for people who had political, perhaps even religious, control over the people.

Today, it certainly seems like we label “enemies” far too easily. Perhaps we should save that word for people who really are enemies of our “way of life” or our “rights.”

Instead, almost anyone with whom we disagree suddenly becomes our enemies. Even friends can become non-friends, enemies.

Why do we need enemies so much today?

I know the full answer is more convoluted and complex, but part of the answer has to do with the level of fear that exists in our communities, our nation and our world. When we are afraid, we look for someone to blame – besides ourselves, I mean.

It’s like we need enemies so we can fix blame for whatever circumstance is frightening us. Pogo’s famous cartoon line – “We have met the enemy, and he is us” – is likely one of the most ignored cultural mantras as well.

Do we need enemies beyond ourselves because we can’t face the enemy within ourselves?

So we return to Jesus’ admonitions on enemies in Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount” and Luke’s “Sermon on the Plain.” If his challenge is really to treat the Roman oppressors more kindly, can it also be applied to how we treat one another?

Of course it can, and must. Everything Jesus is quoted as saying can have both political and intensely personal implications.

So, do you have identifiable enemies? What have they done to you that you’ve chosen not to forgive?

Why are you not willing to forgive them? Do you find it difficult-to-impossible to forgive yourself in that relationship?

Can you say “I was wrong” or “I am sorry” to that other person? How about to yourself?

Why do you need that person to be your enemy? Why do you need to be an enemy to yourself? Bothersome questions, aren’t they.

Jesus saw the transforming power of God in “love your enemies.” I want that power at work too in my relationships. How about you?