RUN LIKE A CHAMPION

Anyone can love someone who loves them. And a few people can love those who are not attached to their lives in any way. But only by the grace of God can anyone truly love those who hate them. Yet that was the standard of Jesus. He taught His followers to love their enemies — and to pray for those who persecute them. Only when we taste the love of God are we enabled to love our enemies.
I remember hearing a young communist yell in my face, “I’ll put my fist down your throat! I hate you!” He didn’t know how to handle my response when I said, “I love you! And if you hit me, I pray that every drop of blood will remind you of the blood that Jesus shed on the cross to forgive you of your sins.” All he could do was run away. He didn’t know how to stand in the face of such love.
Religion tells us to love others. But only the grace of God can enable us to love those who hate us. David had every human reason to develop a heart of bitterness and hatred. Saul determined to kill him. His reasons couldn’t be justified. But jealousy and rage had eaten away Saul’s spiritual life, and he decided to eliminate David.
Once, due to the providence of God, David found himself in the same cave as King Saul — only Saul didn’t know it. David had the perfect opportunity to kill Saul. It appeared that David had the providence and the promises of God on his side. God had promised that David would one day be king. And providentially, Saul unknowingly entered the same cave as David. So David could have rationalized killing Saul. Even his men wanted him to take advantage of the opportunity. He was so close to killing Saul, he cut off a part of his robe.
But he didn’t kill the king. There were reasons he didn’t. Important ones. First, we need to understand that David did indeed flirt with revenge and death. The Spirit of God took David to task. The Bible says, “David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe” (1 Samuel 24:5). Revenge and hate are choices we can make. But when we entertain those thoughts, we are playing with fire. The best thing to do with revenge is to lay it at the feet of Jesus.
Second, David showed respect to Saul. The Scriptures say, “Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, ‘My lord the king!’ When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground” (1 Samuel 24:8). He knew that God had placed Saul as king and allowed him to continue in that position. He also knew how evilly Saul had acted. But instead of becoming bitter, David became better. He respected Saul: not for his character, but for his position.
Third, David appealed to Saul. He showed the king the part of his robe he had cut off and said, “Don’t you understand?! I’m not against you.” David spoke in the most tender terms. He referred to Saul as “my father.” David chose the way of love over the way of hate. He made a decision to draw from God’s love rather than allow a root of bitterness to take hold in his life.
Finally, we see that God rewarded David’s decision. Saul was deeply moved by David’s words and actions. He was broken and began to weep. When we make the right decisions, it doesn’t mean we will never again have difficulties. But it does mean that we are prime candidates for God’s deliverance. God delivered David. And He’ll deliver you and me. But we must make a choice. To hate rather than love is easy. But to love rather than hate is supernatural. And to love those who hate us shows nothing less than the supernatural grace of God. Why don’t you draw on God’s grace today?