Love Your Enemies

This evening I showed one of my favorite movies to my kids, Searching for Bobby Fischer.  The movie tells the true story of a young seven-year-old chess prodigy named Josh and highlights how he valued being kind to others more than being the best or winning.  At one point his teacher told him that he had to have contempt for his opponent and that he needed to see himself as above all those he played, and the boy responded simply, “But I don’t feel that way.”  When the teacher responded that Bobby Fischer (the most famous American chess player) had contempt for his opponents and everyone in general, he answered, “Well I’m not him.”  His goodness was highlighted at the end when he played a rather mean opponent in the final match of a national championship.  At one point in the game Josh realized that his opponent had made a mistake and he could win the game, and so he extended his hand and offered the other player a draw to share the championship.  The boy refused the offer and subsequently lost.  Josh had not only won but proved to his teacher that he did not need to have contempt for his opponent to win—his goodness and kindness triumphed. 

            Watching this movie again led me to ponder the incredible teaching of the Savior that this boy exemplified: “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matt. 5:44).  Christ’s life of course showed us that he did just that as He spent His last breaths praying to His father for those who had hurt Him—“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do”—and comforting those companions on the cross who mocked Him, saying, “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:34, 42).  He yearned to help even those who rejected him: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matt. 23:37)  When a servant of the high priest who was helping to arrest Jesus got his ear cut off  by Peter, the Savior calmly healed him, “And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and ahealed him” (Luke 22:51).  And when the multilude (who would soon thereafter mostly reject Him at Capernaum) were hungry, He declared, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way” (Matt. 15:32).  The challenge of Christianity for us is to learn to show that kind of love and compassion and kindness to all those around us, even those who could be considered our enemies.