Years ago, I received an angry email from an acquaintance who was furious with me for some actions I had taken. He assaulted my character, slandered my record, attacked my religion, and threatened to exact ugly revenge if I didn’t retract my decision and obey his demands. 

He had a reputation for treating other people this way, but I had never faced this myself. I considered his points and saw no reason to change my course of action. But I was crestfallen and taken aback by this viciousness and malice. In praying for a healing response, I knew I had a choice to make. I could either fear this individual and dread his threats, or choose to love him. After hours of wrestling with pride, ego, and fear, I chose love. 

I found peace in knowing the spiritual truth about the two of us. I understood in my prayers that there was no underpinning for evil intent in this man’s thought. He was a child of God, created to reflect divine Mind and Love, just as I was. I felt sure that recognizing this commonality in my prayers would naturally help correct misunderstanding, dissolve grievances, reinstate peace, and lead us to see the good in one another. I was aware that evil seems to make a big show at times and issue ominous threats, but its drama is destined to end as truth surfaces and divine Love asserts its influence and hold over thought.

There was no further communication between the two of us, but I had peace in my heart toward this man and I was grateful to see that none of his threats came to fruition. And I am a better person for having learned how to love more. 

When we’re accused or attacked by another, it can be tempting to react with anger, list grievances, and seek revenge. But there’s a better choice. Jesus Christ taught, “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” (Matthew 5:44). 

This instruction for dealing with enemies is not an admonition to ignore abuse or pretend it didn’t happen. It’s not naive or blind. It’s a solid plan to neutralize evil intent and render it harmless. As light displaces darkness, love disarms hate.

Jesus understood that the underlying culprit in arenas of conflict is not a person, place, or thing, but evil states of mind. Hatred, jealousy, envy, greed, lust, malice, selfishness, and the like are the instigators that must be disabled to prevent evil action.

As the book of Hebrews says in reference to Jesus, “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness” (1:9, New Revised Standard Version). Jesus had pointed words for the evil he detected in the hearts of his enemies, but he did not let their hatred become his hatred. He mastered it in his own consciousness and responded with love designed to nullify it.

When he was sentenced to die, he did not respond with hatred toward the scribes and Pharisees who aggressively worked toward that goal. He did not blame or resent the government of Rome for allowing his crucifixion to happen. He did not detest the soldiers who nailed his body to the cross. He responded with love. “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do,” he uttered from the cross (Luke 23:34). Jesus knew that love was the only way to defeat evil intention.

The Bible says, “God is love” (I John 4:16). In Christian Science, the love of God, which defeats sin and reforms humanity, is understood to be more than a gesture of goodwill. Mary Baker Eddy goes a step further in saying, “God is Love” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 2). Love, understood in its highest sense, is God. Love, as God, is absolute power. Love is might. Love is strength. To side with divine Love is to side with the Almighty, the Ruler over the universe, who holds all of His children in perfect harmony. 

Eddy explains, “ ‘Love thine enemies’ is identical with ‘Thou hast no enemies’ ” (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, p. 9). To love one’s enemies is like showering water over a fire. The more you pour on the flames, the sooner the fire is extinguished. And sometimes it takes a deluge to douse a blaze! But every drop helps. 

God is the never-ending source of love we can trust to help us extinguish hatred, fear, and misunderstanding. Eddy writes, “Truth, Life, and Love are a law of annihilation to everything unlike themselves, because they declare nothing except God” (Science and Health, p. 243). As children of God, we all have the capacity to love, and that capacity can be demonstrated in loving those who seem to oppose us. We can refuse to let misguided intentions become our undoing. In the face of verbal or personal assault, we are not helpless. We can take prayerful action to master the situation and prevent harm. 

Divine Love, the intelligent Mind, upholds all that is good and true. It trumps error, removes its threat, and lifts thought to a better place. Love is power, might, and strength. Eddy writes, “Love is the liberator” (Science and Health, p. 225). As Jesus proved when he walked out of the tomb alive after being crucified, Love triumphs over the worst evil, even the belief of death, and always has the final say.