People on the Internet can appear to be the enemy of all you stand for. What does the Bible say about enemies, whether online or otherwise?
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. (Proverbs 25:21.)
Jesus said something about being thirsty, too.
I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. (Matthew 25:35.)
He talked about how to treat those you think are against you, as well.
You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies … . (Matthew 5:43.)
I need to work on how this looks in my own life. I hope to be the one handing out water.
I think many people jump too quickly to the idea that someone is their “enemy” just because of a difference of opinion. We’ve totally lost the ability to have positive, friendly debate. Obviously, I’m not referring to people who are internet stalkers or trolls. However, just because I have a different opinion politically, religiously or socially from someone else shouldn’t make them an enemy-at least I hope not. I count among some of my most treasured friends people with whom I don’t always agree.
It’s good to talk among people who are handing water bottles out to one another.
Just as Jesus’ parables always force us to stop and consider a real-life situation in order to understand what His Kingdom is really like, so does your scenario about the drink of water. Sometimes when we come down from the world of ideas and ideals and “the principle of the thing,” and just see ourselves as on a level playing field with others, it helps us discern what God would want us to do.
In judicial ethics we talk a lot about principles of fairness, but the classes get interesting once we reach the part about how it looks in real life in a real courtroom situation. Jesus’ teaching on love takes on vitality in how he says it’s to be applied: give water to a thirsty person.