“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? ... And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? ... Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48)
For each of us who has a desire to do good, there is probably someone who hopes we fail or won't succeed. Should that matter to us? NO! Whatever we do, we must have the right motivation for doing it: And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality. (Colossians 3:23-25)
Once we have our motivation right, then we must have our purpose right: And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples ... For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, ...in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. ...how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. (I Thessalonians 1:6-10)
Whatever we do and however we do it, our purpose should always be to represent Christ, regardless of how others may feel about us or treat us. We must remember that God made everyone and everything, ...do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28) ...we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God;... (I Thessalonians 4:1)
So we're back to how to deal with "haters"? And the answer is the same Christ gave above: “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. ... Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. (Luke 6:27-36) Remember love is not feeling, love is action! (I Corinthians 13) So therefore let our actions be such that we Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:20-21; Proverbs 25:21-22)
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