We rightly think about peace in the Christmas season, and new beginnings with hope. There’s not a lot of peace in the world. I’ve been thinking more about enemies.
Enemy is a strong word. We have a rich vocabulary in English for people who oppose us (or our ideas and practices): Rival, Competitor, Combatant, Contender, Opponent, Adversary, Challenger, Foe, Disputant, Litigant, Antagonist, Detractor. All have tone and significance in context. I’m guessing we invented many words because there are many situations of conflict!
I like the story about Abraham Lincoln’s cabinet discussing reparations towards the end of the Civil War. One advisor who favored punishing the South said, “Mr. President, you’re supposed to destroy your enemies, not make friends of them!” Lincoln replied, “Am I not destroying an enemy when I make a friend of him?”
Rivals, competitors, opponents, even deadly combatants can become friends, allies, and partners. There is a point where the only recourse with enemies is to destroy them. Not every dispute will be settled by light and pleasant conversation.
The world wars in the 20th century were truly awful. The Allied nations created close military and trade ties to Germany and Japan after we destroyed their ability to prosecute the war in 1945. Decades later someone might see compressed events and incorrectly conclude it was easy. The process began with occupying troops and limited trust. We executed many leaders for war crimes. It required significant investment in rebuilding (physical structures and institutions) and trade over decades. Worthwhile, not easy.
Our ultimate enemy is The Accuser – see Ephesians 6:10-14, with the goal of standing firm in the confidence of God. Let us never forget that The Accuser is the power behind our human enemies. The story of Christmas is a milestone in the greatest story of all. Jesus was born to die, to defeat death, so that the only thing our enemies can ever do is hurt our temporary flesh costumes. The most worthwhile thing ever, but not easy.
