Finding Enemies
In many minds, there always seems to be an enemy lurking to harm us. I’ve been reading a book about Corrie Ten Boom’s life, and the Nazis considered any Jew the enemy, as well as anyone or any nation that sheltered them. During that same period, Americans of Japanese heritage were rounded up and placed in settlement camps; the government feared there might be spies and Japanese sympathizers among them. During the 1950’s, it was the Communists many Americans were afraid of. People were summoned before the Joseph McCarthy committee to testify to the Communist threat among us. People were blacklisted and lost their jobs amidst the hysteria. Today, the Communist menace is coming back into vogue. Foreigners are once again being rejected and abused.
Sadly, many Christians have joined the fray. Depending on their political leanings, they have made one or the other political party the enemy and continually ridicule them. Many advocate and cheer for foreigners to be deported, even those with legal rights to be in the country (i.e., refugees).
Here’s the thing, as Christians we need to be keenly aware of the devil’s schemes (2 Corinthians 2:10-11). His main scheme is to get us to believe anyone besides him is the enemy. But the Scriptures are clear that he and his demonic minions are our only true enemies (I Peter 5:8, Ephesians 6:12). The temptation he frequently presents us is to focus on other human beings as the cause of our problems. Instead, he is merely using them for his purposes. If we have this perspective, then, like Jesus, we can love those who the devil is using to carry out his schemes.
Some examples of this would be:
People who are adherents to a different religion or no religion at all. Our human reflex is to challenge them or protect others from them. However, if God wants none to perish (2 Peter 3:9 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Peter%203%3A9&version=NIV), then our posture toward them should not be hate and rejection, but rather of love and kindness and seeking to demonstrate with our lives the superiority of Jesus.
People whose cultural heritage is different from our own. In the days of Jesus, the Samaritans were hated by the Jews, yet Jesus associated with them and brought the good news to them (John 4). He even made a Samaritan exemplify what it means to love your neighbor in one of His parables (Luke 10:25-27). Instead of fearing these people who are different from us, we should see it as an opportunity to love and to share our faith in Jesus.
Christians who disagree with us on the issues of the day. Jesus was very clear on one thing regarding His followers: They are to be known by their love for one another (John 13:34-35). Now we know there were differences among the disciples. It would be strange if there were not. A former tax collector (Matthew) was likely an issue for Simon the Zealot who hated Roman occupation. And, of course, they argued over who would be the best leaders (Mark 10:35-45). In our current day, many American Christians, particularly through social media, are lambasting other believers for their views. Whatever our views and how much they may differ with other Christians, Jesus has commanded us to love one another, and 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 gives us clear guidance in what that is to look like. (No, this passage is not just for couples getting married!)
These are some of the many opportunities Satan seeks to impart his schemes. We who follow Jesus must not capitulate to his desires. As Jesus tells us, Satan is a liar and a thief. His mission is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10) As followers of Jesus, our lives should restrain his schemes rather than facilitate them.
Until next time. . .
© Jim Musser 2026 All Scripture references are from the New International Version, 2011.
