Proverbs 24
When Loving Your Enemy Feels Impossible: Reflections on Proverbs 24
When Our Hearts Don't Want to Obey
Today’s the 24th, and we’re sitting with Proverbs 24 — specifically verses 17 and 29. Let’s be honest: these verses hit where it hurts. They confront something in all of us that we’d probably prefer to ignore — how we feel about those people. You know who we mean. The ones who frustrate us, offend us, mistreat us, or even outright hurt us. Maybe you’re already picturing a face or a name.
Verse 17 says:
“Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice.”
And verse 29 continues the theme:
“Do not say, ‘I’ll do to them as they have done to me; I’ll pay them back for what they did.’”
We all have those moments — sometimes loud and proud, sometimes hidden in the quiet corners of our hearts — where we secretly celebrate when someone we don’t like stumbles. That annoying coworker fails a project. A political figure we disagree with gets caught in a scandal. The team we love to hate loses in the final seconds. Our flesh whispers, “Serves them right.” And yet, God gently but firmly says, “That’s not the way I made your heart to function.”
The Heart That’s Built to Bless
Jesus expands on this in Luke 6:
“Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
This isn’t just about passive tolerance. It’s about active love — not just for those who love us back, but especially for those who don’t. That’s where the gospel becomes real, gritty, and transformative.
We’re not pretending this is easy. Most days, it feels impossible. And we’re not here to throw a spiritual band-aid over deep wounds or real injustices. When you’ve been wronged, mistreated, misunderstood — it hurts. And Jesus isn’t asking us to ignore the pain. He’s inviting us to surrender it.
Because when we carry bitterness, vengeance, or even subtle gloating, we’re not just harming others — we’re harming ourselves. We’re filling our hearts with something they were never designed to carry.
One of us shared a story about accidentally filling a riding lawnmower with gas instead of oil. Let’s just say, it wouldn’t have gone well if we had turned it on. That’s exactly what it’s like when we try to run our hearts on resentment, comparison, or revenge. It’s poison. It breaks us down from the inside out.
Letting Go (Again and Again)
Here’s what we’re learning: forgiveness isn’t a one-and-done moment. It’s a daily surrender. Sometimes hourly. Sometimes with tears and frustration. And no, it doesn’t mean we forget. That memory might come back next week, next month, or next year. But when it does, we meet it with grace again — handing it back to Jesus, over and over.
We’re also learning to recognize the stories we tell ourselves. The “I bet they said this” or “They probably meant that” kind of spirals. They don’t help. They stir up anxiety, assumptions, and more pain. Instead, we want to lean into what’s real, and what’s true — that Jesus sees, knows, and is working even when we don’t feel it.
Living the Higher Way
So today, as we reflect on Proverbs 24, we’re choosing the harder but holier path. We’re asking God to clean out anything that’s clogging up our hearts — envy, revenge, grudges, pride. We’re asking for the courage to bless those we don’t want to bless, to pray for those we struggle to love, and to believe that Jesus' way really is best.
Here’s our encouragement: read Proverbs 24 today. Sit with verses 17 and 29. Let them read you — your emotions, your thoughts, your wounds. Then flip over to Luke 6 or 1 Peter 3, and remind your soul of what’s possible when we live surrendered.
Who do we need to hand over to God today? What stories do we need to stop telling ourselves? What healing work do we need to invite Jesus into?
We’re with you in this. Let’s walk it out together — not perfectly, but intentionally.
Grace and peace, friends. Let’s finish August strong. 💛
Scriptures to Reflect On:
Proverbs 24:17, 29
Luke 6:27–28, 31–33
1 Peter 3:9
Feel free to share this post, read it with your family, or talk about it around the dinner table. We believe God works through honest conversation and slow, steady transformation.
