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b'I have a confession. I used to hate the people who disagreed with me politically. It\\u2019s understandable to feel strongly about how we practice politics. Voting and activism have the potential to bring about much good in our communities. Politics can also be incredibly scary because we\\u2019re often dealing with life-and-death issues that affect us and our neighbors.\\n.\\nHere\\u2019s the good news: Jesus understands what it\\u2019s like to be in the middle of scary political situations. His homeland was occupied by the Roman Empire, and injustice was rampant.\\n.\\nBut Jesus didn\\u2019t respond in violence toward those who threatened Him. In the same way, Jesus calls His followers to love our enemies\\u2014to pray for them and to respond to hatred with love and care for the needs of others, even our enemies (Matthew 5:38-47).\\n.\\nWhen we join Jesus\\u2019s kingdom, we no longer put our trust in chariots or swords, weapons or symbols of power (Psalm 20:7; Matthew 26:52). Instead, our trust is in the living God, our Risen Savior Jesus Christ. He\\u2019s the One who beat sin and death through His own death and resurrection, and He\\u2019s the One who will return to make all things new\\u2014with every wrongdoing and injustice finally taken care of (Revelation 20:11\\u201321:5).\\n.\\nToday, when I\\u2019m tempted to hate people I disagree with, I remember Jesus on the night He let people take Him away to kill Him. When His enemies surrounded Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, He did not allow His disciples to lead a violent counterattack. Instead, Jesus stopped, healed one of His enemies, and moved forward in peace and truth, making the way for restoration through His very death\\u2026 and eventual resurrection (Luke 22:49-52).\\n.\\nAs Christians, we don\\u2019t have to be afraid of changing political systems. Instead, we can remember we belong to an eternal and unafraid kingdom through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. His kingdom is built upon love of God and neighbor, so no matter who is in power, we can continue to share the good news of God\\u2019s love through our words and actions (Matthew 22:37-40). In Christ, we are free to love our neighbors\\u2014and even our enemies\\u2014as we follow our unchanging and healing Savior.\\xa0\\n.\\n\\u2022 Have you ever been tempted to hate your political enemies? Consider taking some time to bring those thoughts and feelings to God. Your cares are never too big for Him, and He can help you process even your angriest thoughts in a way that is safe for yourself and others (1 Peter 5:7).\\n.\\n\\u2022 The psalms are filled with peoples\\u2019 prayers against their enemies, allowing them to process their hurts and trust that God is at work to bring about justice. Try praying Psalm 69 about your political enemies. What do you notice about the psalmist\\u2019s hope?\\n.\\n\\u2022 Amazingly, God is just as patient with us as He is with our enemies. According to 2 Peter 3:8-10 and John 3:16-17, why is God patient with us? What are some practical ways you can love your political enemies? (Matthew 5:38-47)\\n.\\nSome trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. Psalm 20:7 (NIV)\\n\\xa0\\nRead Verses:\\nMatt.26.36-Matt.26.55|Luke.22.49-Luke.22.52|Ps.20.7|Matt.5.38-Matt.5.47'