But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.
                                    (Matthew 5:44) NKJV

Today, in our country, we celebrate the purposeful and impactful life of Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King. As a Baptist minister, Dr. King was no doubt inspired by this verse when he said, “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” Men have feet of clay, but Dr. King modeled Christ and exemplified the principle of this verse. He did so in a way most of us will never have a chance to — or could we?
A recent item led me to a Twitter string I wish I’d never read: people were making hateful comments about a celebrity, whom they didn’t know personally. Admirably, the celebrity responded with humor and kindness, and love won because she took the high ground. The vitriol lost its power.
The anonymity and reach of social media have made it possible for anyone to spread hatred without having to face their victim. People post impulsive insults, setting off an outpouring of like-minded enmity. Scathing tweets, bigoted Facebook posts, and the bitter commentaries that follow have stoked the culture of hatred and misunderstanding that Dr. King gave his life to mend.
Dr. King tried to live out Jesus’ commandment to love one’s neighbor and showed us what one person could achieve with a courageously loving response. Let’s all be inspired by Jesus Himself to love our enemies, real or perceived!

Faith Step:    Next time you see a hateful post, contribute a loving response — a                 Scripture verse or an encouraging quote — and see what happens.