Love Your Enemy and Pray for Those Who Persecute You

You may be aware that this year, we have a fundraising campaign called ‘Love Your Enemy for Step’. The premise is to be sponsored to wear your rival’s football shirt for a day. It has so far raised over £6,000 and captured the imagination of so many people. It has also sparked numerous conversations with young people in schools about what Jesus’ instruction to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute you mean and how the world needs to hear and respond to this now more than ever.

On Easter Sunday I wore an Arsenal kit for the second and (most probably) last time. As the founder of the campaign, I decided I would emphasise the link to Jesus’ words by undertaking the challenge on both major Christian festivals. After a more private occasion on Christmas Day, where only my family and a couple of friends witnessed it in person, Easter Sunday was a different experience. Walking through Dunstable, chatting to neighbours and attending my own church definitely felt a lot more awkward.

I had a few weird and very shocked looks from people who knew I was a Spurs fan, while others who justifiably assumed I was an Arsenal fan consoled me about Arsenal’s loss to Southampton the previous evening (including a Southampton fan visiting the church). Apparently, I was very brave to wear it had I been an Arsenal fan- but even braver as a Tottenham supporter.

I was very uncomfortable but then loving our enemies can feel a bit strange and uncomfortable. It can be costly - with Jesus’ death on the cross the ultimate example of the sacrifice loving our enemies can demand. Maybe wearing a rival’s kit isn’t that bad after all.

This time, I decided to do something a little bit more. I committed to praying for all the Arsenal fans I knew for the following week, especially those who ‘persecute me’ for being a Spurs fan (friendly banter in my case, but it’s definitely not always friendly in the footballing world). I should also add that a couple of fans from other clubs also got some prayer!

I received specific prayer requests from some and I shared Bible verses or encouragements that came to my mind as I prayed. I also decided to pray for the players and staff at Arsenal, especially those who are following Jesus so passionately and openly. Although I didn’t quite manage to pray for them to win any silverware, I’d like to think my heart has softened towards the people associated with the club. Maybe that’s the aim Jesus had for us as he instructed that we pray for our enemies.

I wonder what would happen if all of us decided to pray for our enemies – not just our footballing rivals, but those who have really hurt us, annoy us or we just don’t like. How might God change our heart if we took Jesus’ words seriously and loved our enemies and prayed for those who persecute us?

Thank you to all those who have already given to this campaign. If you haven’t but would like to, it’s not too late to sponsor me (or another team member who has undertaken the challenge). Simply go to https://www.justgiving.com/team/loveyourenemyforstep 

Geoff