Angst Toward Enemies
The Real Estate industry is an unusual business. I must cooperate with my competitor. Most often, when I have a listing, I’m counting on one of my competitors to bring me a qualified buyer. Most real estate agents are REALTORS and are secure in what they bring to the mix on behalf of their client or customer. Let me be clear that I don’t see my competitor as my enemy. I have met people who really want the destruction of their competitors. Their business model involves them stamping out their competition. I chose a different model when competing – offer superior service and encourage loyalty as my service grows and expands. I know that there are people who want to see me destroyed as a business man. I have to say that it hurts, but it also motivates me. I am striving to be excellent at my craft as a REALTOR and I want others to see how I work and serve. Although I don’t see others as my enemy, that could be their view of me.
I read a Psalm of Asaph this morning and he is straight up calling upon God to destroy his enemies – the enemies of Israel and therefore enemies of God. Check this out…
13 O my God, scatter them like tumbleweed,
like chaff before the wind!
14 As a fire burns a forest
and as a flame sets mountains ablaze,
15 chase them with your fierce storm;
terrify them with your tempest.
16 Utterly disgrace them
until they submit to your name, O Lord.
17 Let them be ashamed and terrified forever.
Let them die in disgrace.
18 Then they will learn that you alone are called the Lord,
that you alone are the Most High,
supreme over all the earth. (Psalm 83:13-18 NLT)
This was a bold prayer of Asaph. I realize that he was writing from a war zone. His very life was threatened because he was from Israel. I think the angst that came into play in my heart this morning was from hearing the words of Jesus when He said to “love my enemies” and “pray for those who persecute you”. My normal reaction is what Asaph did – pray against my enemies. Jesus is telling me to pray for my enemies. I have learned over the years to pray for my competitors in business and never to treat them as the enemy. I am still learning to pray for people who want to destroy our nation. I believe that we have a responsibility to defend our families, our values and our way of life. Often our enemies are super jealous of what we have built or how we are flourishing. I must keep growing and building while working on my heart expansion for others. I don’t want to grow my business at the expense of others. I want our country to grow and expand without destroying other countries in the process. I want to grow my heart while encouraging others to grow. I want the Lord to expand my influence even to those who could be labeled as my enemy.
I guess the angst I have toward my enemies really needs to be surrendered to the Lord. He will take care of any revenge needed on my enemies or others trying to harm me or my family. I will continue to pray and seek His help in any response needed toward those trying to harm me. Jesus made this pretty clear in His most famous sermon on the mountain. Check this out….
43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy.44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48 NLT)
Pressing On!
Dwayne