"If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him."
Exodus 23:3-4
If I found the power drill of a neighbor who hated my guts, my flesh wouldn't be inclined to return it; however, showing kindness, honesty, and concern for my neighbor who doesn't like me is exactly what God commands here.
If I saw a neighbor who hated me struggling to fix a flat tire along the highway, I can't say my first thought in the flesh would be, "Happy day! I get to help my neighbor who hates me!" Yet, putting aside my natural inclination and showing the love of God to a disagreeable neighbor is precisely what God is commanding here.
These verses remind me of what Jesus said. "... If ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?"
My religion has no more depth than that of a self-righteous Pharisee if I refuse to show God's love to people who don't like, or perhaps even hate, me.
I've always been challenged and motivated by David's words, words that he spoke as a king who was hounded and hated causelessly by Saul.
"... Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him?"
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