“Despitefully Used”

Jesus taught us that we must not only have faith to be good, but must also have faith to be strong. He warned us of persecutions that follow the believers and said when, not if, we are ridiculed or despised for our faith in Him: Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you (Matthew 5:11).  We must always be prepared to stand alone and be courageous when persecutions come.

Jesus also taught the spiritual answer to these promised persecutions: Love . . . bless . . . do good . . . and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you (Matthew 5:44). He showed us by his example how to love all people with a perfect, unconditional love.
 

Scriptures

Ye have heard that it hath been said,
Thou shalt love thy neighbor,
and hate thine enemy.

But I say unto you,
Love your enemies,
Bless them that curse you,

Do good to them that hate you, and
Pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

For 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?

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven in perfect.”

—Matthew 5:43-48
 

Perfecting Our Love

While we can’t be perfect in everything in this life, we can learn to be perfect in our love and how we choose to treat other people - even when others are unkind or “despitefully” use us.