Jesus taught that instead of hating our enemies, we should love them. Hate is often thought of as the opposite of love, but love in its truest form is driven by commitment and purpose rather than fleeting emotions. This means hatred shouldn’t be considered love’s true opposite. We need to reflect on why we might choose to love someone who has harmed us, for real love means being willing to sacrifice for what we cherish, setting feelings aside.
A farmer who keeps crocodiles doesn’t do it because those crocodiles are friendly toward him. His fondness for them has nothing to do with their behavior, since they likely feel no bond with him. He understands their nature, even though they can’t grasp his, and still makes sure they are safe. His intelligence far surpasses theirs, while they rely solely on instinct to hunt for food—even if it means turning the farmer into a meal, despite his care for them. Whether it’s for tourists or simply for his own enjoyment, it is his love for the crocs that keeps him going.
Many divorces happen because people misunderstand what love truly means. According to Jesus, the only valid reason for ending a marriage is fornication—sexual immorality between unmarried individuals (Matthew 5:32 KJV). This implies that if someone marries and later discovers their spouse had already lost their virginity, staying in that relationship would be committing adultery, as the person who first took that virginity is seen as the rightful spouse. Otherwise, in a lawful marriage, a spouse deserves the highest loyalty and sacrifice, even tolerating cases of adultery after that legal union.
For Jesus, truth stands above feelings. The spouse you are legally married to is someone worth giving your life for. Many of humanity’s problems come from seeing others as separate or different because of emotions. Like the body’s many parts—each with its own role yet equally cared for—people should be valued no matter their differences. The idea of a “stranger” has no place when it comes to human connection.
For those who have entered Christianity with a history of sexual sins, there is no indication that God continues to hold those sins against them once they have repented. Just like the woman caught in adultery, brought to Jesus for stoning, who was told simply to go and sin no more (John 8:11), it’s one of many instances where Jesus spoke about forgiveness and past sins being forgotten. The problems that appear unsolvable stem from a failure to understand that when one hates another person, one actually hates oneself.
Substantially, one human being is not different from the next. Physically, a person from one location may be viewed as different by those of another location, but the spiritual origin of that person is not defined by geography. This is just as brothers from the same father protect one another under normal conditions. Cain killed Abel, perhaps hoping his life would be better without his brother.
The reflective answer to the question of murdering his brother is sheer madness. This event is noted at the dawn of human civilization, following Adam’s sin. Those living under sinful conditions are not controlled by reason; they are controlled by emotion. Because of that sin, Cain had to be separated from his clan. The blood of Abel would haunt him for the rest of his life. Cain’s story depicts the effects of sinful behavior on humanity. “My punishment is more than I can bear” (Genesis 4:13 NIV).
Cain’s actions, taken without seeking God’s guidance, reflected the nature of humanity separated from God’s way of life. This separation is a sign of death, symbolizing it even among those sharing the same space. According to God’s law, Cain’s sin demanded death by fellow humans: “Whoever sheds human blood by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind” (Genesis 9:6 NIV).
Cain wasn’t executed after killing his brother, likely because only his parents were around to carry it out. Genesis 9:6 implies that God doesn’t personally take the lives of those who kill. Humanity’s fate was already sealed with death when Adam ate the forbidden fruit, and though Adam lived many years afterward. Cain’s life also remained marked by the consequences of that sin. Anyone seeking revenge against a killer would be just as guilty as the one who shed blood. After murdering his brother, Cain and his descendants lived under a curse. In a sense, his act was like destroying himself.
However, God holds the sovereign right to end humanity’s existence, as shown in the flood that wiped out mankind, sparing only Noah and his family. Cain might have believed that killing his brother would bring happiness, but it didn’t. He lived on for a time, yet like all people in a sinful world, he eventually died miserably, just like anyone else. Life for humanity is filled with hardship until death, made harder by knowing it’s inevitable.
“So I hated life because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labour under the sun. For a person may labour with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune” (Ecclesiastes 2:17-21 NIV).
There are some misunderstandings about causing harm to others. Hurting someone is, in a sense, also hurting yourself. Many believe that those who wrong others gain some sort of benefit, and they sympathize more with the victims, viewing it as justice against the wrongdoers. From God’s perspective, though, this comes more from ignorance than from a genuine sense of justice. This is one reason Jesus was misunderstood:
“But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:44-48 NIV).
Why should we love and pray for those who persecute us instead of only caring for our friends? As descendants of Adam, we all live under condemnation, except for those saved by Jesus, whose message runs counter to the ways of the world. In Zimbabwe, one of the most painful but unresolved issues is the Gukurahundi tragedy. Many believe the perpetrators benefited from the victims’ suffering, and those victims still carry the weight of injustice. Yet, following Jesus’ teaching on love means forgiving even such murderers.
Seeing another person—regardless of gender, race, or class—is like looking in a mirror. Those perpetrators of such crimes deserve unconditional forgiveness from the victims. While the victims might think they would have acted differently in the perpetrators’ place, Christ’s love goes deeper, calling for love even toward murderers. God’s image is best seen in others through Christ, and the challenge is realizing that physical sight isn’t the same as spiritual sight, because God is Spirit and can only be truly understood spiritually.
“We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister” (1 John 4:19-21 NIV).
The apostle John says what needs to be repeated: “Whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.” This verse is often misunderstood, but it simply means God is not separate from humans, no matter how they appear. Even a murderer is still human, just like the one seeking justice.
Many people aren’t easy to like because of perceived transgressions, but through spiritual eyes we see that everyone has been affected by sin, which leads to wrong behavior. Still, God loves all and seeks to reach their divine reasoning. He sent His only Son to free humanity from spiritual bondage. Spiritual eyes look beyond what is visible. After killing his brother, Cain denied being his keeper, showing how morality had declined since Eden’s sin.
God could have destroyed Cain instantly, but He didn’t—His patience still covers us today. For reasons beyond human understanding, His enduring love allowed Cain to remain in his sinful state, as the plan of salvation was already in motion. Without Christ, destroying sinners would leave no one alive. Even now, sinners walk freely, mocking God as if nothing is wrong.
Psalm 136 focuses on the enduring love of God. He is slow to act against sinners, perhaps hoping they will turn from their ways, yet Scripture says He delights in the death of His saints (Psalm 116:15). Jonah grew deeply troubled by God’s patience toward sinners. While humanity’s behavior often disappoints Him, His love remains constant.
Since God created humans in His own image, destroying them outright would be like destroying Himself—a principle we can relate to. The confusion lifted with the death of Jesus, though many still misunderstand its purpose. God aimed to save us from death, and Jesus’ sacrifice redeemed humanity from the sin that led Cain to kill his brother. Cain’s actions reflect human nature, which cannot judge him without also judging itself.
Both Cain and Abel were religious, offering gifts from their respective trades. To the physical eye, God’s preference for Abel’s offering over Cain’s might look like favoritism. But God cares less about the outward act and more about the heart behind it—whether giving is driven by love or by a desire for recognition. He values a cheerful giver over a reluctant one. Spiritually, the truth becomes clear: God judged their attitudes.
This later showed in Cain’s murder of Abel. Had Cain’s gift been motivated by love, he wouldn’t have entertained killing his brother. His anger consumed him. Jesus taught a way of giving that goes beyond what people usually understand.
This kind of giving is done in secrecy so that givers aren’t recognized for their good deeds, which truly reflects the spirit of love. It naturally avoids the attitudes that often come with public giving. Love, as God’s attribute, shouldn’t be confused with acts done for selfish reasons. In a world full of flaws, who doesn’t long for appreciation when doing something good?
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honoured by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:1-4 NIV).
In this world, people often judge that those who give more deserve greater respect. This might have been the same kind of thinking Cain had, which contrasts with God’s judgment in favoring Abel’s offering. God values the attitude behind the gift more than its size. When giving isn’t done in secret, it can reveal the sin of Cain in the giver.
A person may not seem inclined to commit murder, yet the seed of that sin could still be present. If a recipient shows no gratitude, the giver might lose the desire to continue the acts of giving. Some in this world appear more privileged, while others seem disadvantaged—both outcomes stemming from the sinfulness that pervades humanity.
“As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. ‘Truly I tell you,’ he said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she had to live on’” (Luke 21:1-4 NIV).
Jesus’ teaching on giving was nothing like the kind practiced by people looking for praise. In Matthew 6:1-4, His words were aimed at His disciples, not the whole world. The giving described in Luke 21:1-4 was a common Temple practice, but it is not what Jesus started, nor did He ever demand it from His followers. True believers in Him give quietly, forming an unseen community, while others—like Cain—may resent going unnoticed for their generosity. Real giving comes from the heart, done without craving approval.
Jesus taught a love that sees others as just as valuable as oneself, inspiring acts of kindness done with no strings attached. Those freed from sin should help those still trapped in it, viewing them as reflections of themselves and living as their brother’s keeper. Since all bear God’s image, everyone is a brother. There is no bigger contradiction than claiming to reflect God while ignoring His ways. Calling yourself a Christian means striving to be like Christ—so what does it say when someone misrepresents Him?
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16-17 NIV).
The call to love your neighbor as yourself is meant for those who identify as Christians, urging them to reflect on their spiritual state, since truly following Christ isn’t possible without God’s Spirit. While it is somewhat understandable that those who lack understanding might harm themselves by mistreating others, it is far more serious when someone misuses God’s name.
“And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matthew 12:31-32 NIV).
Jesus showed us a way of life that is not about appearances but about genuinely reflecting God’s nature in our daily actions. Like a caring brother, He guides us away from sin. Unfortunately, many Christians miss the core of His message by mistaking His role, even though He came to serve, not to be served.
As the image of God, Jesus calls us to align our thoughts with His, starting by seeing others as we see ourselves. When we witness someone caught in sin, it should remind us of our own shortcomings if we fail to care for them. Following Jesus means loving even our enemies, and those who reach out to help sinners—showing them the same love God gave us in our own sin—are truly His children.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilisation, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, relieving those who have witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions, leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book to be a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
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