RELATIONSHIPS: July 7, 2008 Issue

WHEN AN 'ENEMY' BECOMES AN ALLY

ERIC SONNESYN

"LOVE YOUR ENEMIES ." This priceless teaching from Christ Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in the Bible is recognizable to many people (Matt. 5:44). Mary Baker Eddy commented on its significance in Retrospection and Introspection: "... our Master's greatest utterance may well be called 'the diamond sermon.' No purer and more exalted teachings ever fell upon human ears than those contained in what is commonly known as the Sermon on the Mount ..." (p. 91).

A few years ago I learned, in very practical terms, to appreciate the brilliance and power of Jesus' message.

Our family has a small manufacturing and distribution business that includes one delivery person. One afternoon, a man barged in the back door of our office. He was very gruff and told me our driver had signed up to be a member of their union. He had a bodyguard with him, and after a few moments he threw a contract on my desk and said he would be back.