Loving your enemies

I was listening to a message from John MacArthur and he shared this at the end of the message which bares repeating:

Below is the link and also the story:


https://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/2224/an-eye-for-an-eye-part-2

In the year 1567, King Phillip, II of Spain sent the Duke of Alva, and the Duke of Alva was notorious for his bitter hatred of everybody who embraced reformed Christianity.  It was the time of the reformation and people were turning from Catholicism to biblical Christianity and believing in Christ in a proper way.  And they hated those people.  In fact, the time of the of the Duke of Alva was known as the Reign of Terror in Spain, and the council of Alva was call the blood council, because they slaughtered so many people who embraced the reformed faith.

But the historians tell us about one man, a man named Dirk Willumzoon who became a Christian, a Protestant Christian, and thus was condemned to death in a torturous manner.  Somehow he made an escape and he began to run for his life.  It was near the end of winter and there were still some patches of snow on the ground, and as he ran and ran he finally came to the inevitable, a lake.  The lake was frozen, but not frozen very hard because winter was nearly over.  And yet he had no choice because he was being chased by one lone soldier.  And so he decided he’d run across the lake

And the historian says that as he ran, the lake ice began to crack and creek and shake under his feet as he pounded across.  But he didn’t stop because he wanted to avoid the terrible death that awaited him if he were caught.  He stretched his legs further and further in his strides until at last in one gasping leap he lunged himself and landed on the solidarity of the shore.  And as he began to take his next step he heard a cry of terror from behind him.  And he looked around, and the soldier who had been chasing him had fallen through and was clutching the ice for his life.

No one was near to help the soldier but Dirk.  But the soldier was his enemy. 

What would you do?  The historian tells us that Dirk went back, picking his way over the crackling ice, rescued his enemy, and brought him to safety. 

That’s the heart of the matter isn’t?  That’s the spirit of Jesus.