The second greatest command is to love your neighbor as yourself. But what about our enemies? Are we required to love the unlovable? Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute your, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and send rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” (Matthew 5:43-46).
What Jesus commanded was a radical shift for believers. It was quite a shift to love those who persecute you. In Luke, Jesus said, “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:27-28). Luke’s account is longer than Matthews and adds a few more details: “But love your enemies and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (vs. 35-36).
God is merciful and slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love. He is patient with mankind and sends the rain and sun on the unrighteous just like he sends it on the righteous. As people created in God’s image, we need to be image-bearers of Him. That means we need to love the unlovable and exercise mercy.