Choose to be Like Jesus

“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.” Luke 6:37-38 NLT

In an article published by Runner’s World yesterday, it was reported that on Tuesday, Eliud Kipchoge revealed in an interview with BBC Sport Africa that he experienced harassment in the weeks following the death of Kenyan marathoner Kelvin Kiptum on February 11, which caused him to become distrustful and affected his performance at the Tokyo Marathon in March. Kipchoge said that after 24-year-old Kiptum’s sudden death in a car crash in Kenya, social media users began accusing him of being intentionally involved in the incident… Kipchoge said the harassment affected his running, too, and that some of his training partners believed rumors that he was connected with Kiptum’s death. “It was really painful for me to learn even from my own people, my training mates, those who I have contact with, and the bad words are coming from them,” Kipchoge said in the interview. Kipchoge estimates that he lost around 90 percent of his friends during that time period. As you’d expect, the claims made against Eliud were not only hurtful but eventually proven to be false and unfounded. 

And you know, as painful as it is to be falsely slandered, threatened, accused, and harassed by strangers (something made all the easier because of social media), the mental and physical anguish of the situation is made all the worse when the treatment comes from ‘friends.’ But whether mistreatment and abuse comes to us at the hands of ‘friends’ or foes, the Bible is clear that as Christ followers, we are to not only love our enemies, but we are to do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, and pray for those who hurt us. In other words, we are to show them the love of Jesus — that they might be inspired to seek Him because of our uncommon and unexpected reactions to their ill-treatment. 

So don’t be surprised when you’re treated unkindly and unfairly for no good reason my friend. As believers, this is something we must expect, especially as the end days draw closer. For this reason, when (not if) persecution comes, we must choose to be like Jesus who, while hanging on the cross to pay a debt He didn’t owe, said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” 

Heavenly Father, thank You for choosing to love us so much that You would send your one and only Son to die on a cross to grant us forgiveness from our sins. In light of that mercy, help us to love others in the same way that we might lead them to the One who inspires the selfless love and behavior that Jesus showed. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!