Exodus 22,23,24

23:4 "If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him"

When I read over this the first time, I didn't think much of it. But when I went over it again I realized I missed the word "enemy". I was just thinking "neighbor". It seems weird that the Pharisees were able to mess this up and come up with love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

This and the next verse go beyond the seemingly obvious notion of not harming your enemy, but actually going out of your way to help them. If you consider that your enemy is someone who in some way is opposed to your progress, success, pride, or the like, to help your enemy is almost like working against yourself. That's why it's so hard! To help your enemy is to put your own interest in last place... now where have I heard that idea before?

Lord, help me to consider the needs of others as more important than my own, even if I don't like them. And after I'm done helping them, help me to stop not liking them.