Uncomfortable mercy

How to love those who hate you.

We are familiar with the slogans, ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’, ‘Globalise the Intifada’ and ‘Death, death to the IDF’, chanted in the streets of London most Saturdays, apparently directed towards the Jewish state. But, of course, we know that these are just poorly disguised expressions of antisemitism, modern day equivalents of tropes and memes that have been directed towards Jews throughout the centuries.

This is awful for any fair minded person to contemplate, but more so if, like me, you are the object of this wrath, finding yourself on a ‘death wish-list’ of a whole variety of individuals, from the Islamists, far left, far right and, most worryingly, those who cling to this casual hatred because it gives them a warped sense of identification with a popular cause, however toxic it is. So, if I were to mingle in one of these ‘pro-Palestinian’ demos wearing a kippah, I would expect to be under the hate-filled gaze of not just the usual suspects, but ordinary housewives, civil servants, accountants, graphic designers, who are just ‘enjoying themselves on a day out with their chums’, their unthinking antisemitism no more than a fashion accessory. This is so sick, with shades of the nihilism of Clockwork Orange and such deviances, yet those who succumb to this have a distorted feeling that they are on ‘the right side of history’.

Let’s be clear about this. According to a recent survey, around 21% of our population would rather I was not around and that the world would be a better place without me. This is not a game. It has always been a reality for Jews, but now ignorance is no excuse, people are now proactively choosing to hate me and my people, having weighed things up. Perhaps I am a genocidal, colonialist, baby-eating, Christ-killing, well-poisoning, devious, greedy, world dominating rat and get all I deserve. Yes, intelligent people actually believe one or more of these. This is the reality in 2026, but there’s another reality, for those who profess Jesus as their Saviour.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven …” (Matthew 5:43-45)

Can there be anything harder than this? Every day the media throws Jew hatred at me, whether through antisemitic acts, or vicious trolling on the socials. Yes, we can all identify personal ‘enemies’ in our everyday life, but when it is a cultural norm for people to hate me, how on earth can I live up to Jesus’ example? It is relentless, but is it an impossible situation?

I have always wondered why God had such a high regard for King David. After all, He was considered a “man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). On reading David’s response to the internal strife with his son, Absolom and the mutiny within his own people, I was amazed how merciful he was to those who he had every right to feel anger and resentment against. He mourned greatly at the death of his faithless and treacherous son (2 Samuel 19:1), despite the damage he had done. He spared the life of his commander, Joab, who had killed Absolom in defiance of his orders, despite Joab railing against him on his treatment of his army. He was gracious towards his men, even in his grief.

He even had mercy for Shimei, a man who had publicly cursed him and thrown stones at him. (2 Samuel 19:23). David had even accepted the possibility at the time that the Lord may have been displeased with him. But when David was vindicated through victory and Shimei prostrated himself before him and begged for forgiveness, the King was merciful towards him. He said, “should anyone be put to death in Israel today?” and spared him on oath. What an example! Surely that was one head that deserved to be severed! The forgiveness shown by David must have been so pleasing to the Lord.

Jesus said, “for if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” (Matthew 6:14) David was a man who considered being right with the Lord as the utmost importance, so did the right thing. Because of David’s character and love for the Lord, God showed mercy to his descendants, people who often deserved little on account of their sins. But He did this on account of their ancestor, King David. “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’” (2 Samuel 7:16). In a sense, the faithfulness of King David paved the way for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus, a thousand years later.

Jesus, of course, was a man of mercy. We Christians strive to emulate him, as the Holy Spirit works within us. “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor 3:18). To emulate him, we have to learn to forgive those who hate us, even if this situation seems to be ongoing. How often have we considered someone “unforgiveable”, as I have done on many occasions, with many politicians in mind?! Well, that’s not God’s way and if Jesus can offer forgiveness from the cross (Luke 23:34), then there is nothing that anyone can do to us that we can’t forgive. There are no exceptions. We are reminded of this every time we read the Lord’s Prayer, “and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12)

But it’s so hard!

Sabina Wurmbrand was the wife of the evangelical priest, Richard Wurmbrand. They were Jews who had “converted” in 1938 and experienced persecution in Romania under the communists during the Soviet years. What is less known about them was the persecution they experienced during the Nazi years, a story told in the movie, Sabina: Tortured for Christ, the Nazi Years.

The key scene is towards the end of the movie. Richard is confronting a Romanian Nazi, who has been personally responsibility for the death of Sabina’s family. He speaks to the man, saying that he has absolute proof of the existence of God. The man scoffs at him. Then Richard opens a door and Sabina enters, walks up to the man, hugs him, kisses him and then forgives him for what he did. This is so contrary to human nature. Only the love of God living in your heart could give you the mercy and forgiveness to do this. What an example!

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7).

Easier said than done, yet this is surely what lifts us up from the crowds, as a visible manifestation of the true Christian life. The word ‘merciful’ comes from the Greek – eleēmōn – meaning ‘actively compassionate’, particularly towards the suffering. It is active, it is the rubber hitting the road. Being merciful isn’t something that we leap into. Indeed, it isn’t something that comes particularly naturally. If it’s merely an act of duty or obligation, it’s not real. This is a mark of being a Christian.

Mercy starts with God, so we need to first understand the extent of mercy that we have received: our salvation is, itself, an act of God’s mercy and love.

“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy” (Titus 3:5).

It is clear that we don’t achieve this by our own efforts. It is a sign of God living within us and surely the best way of demonstrating the reality of our calling, far more than any words can do. Living the life is far more effective than talking the life. Sabina demonstrated it in that one act. Yet we follow the same God, so why do we see so little of it in our witness (I am speaking of myself here, but perhaps you may concur).

And this returns me to reality of living as a pariah in a culture that has succumbed to the ‘ancient hatred’. It is time to ‘unpack’.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven …” (Matthew 5:43-45)

Walking through that crowd of ‘pro-Palestinian’ hate marchers, I am surrounded by enemies. Yet I must love them and pray for them, for God to accept me as His child. How on earth do I do this? Well, Jesus did. As we saw, he forgave them from the Cross. And he is our model, so why can’t we do the same? I think a major problem we have is the reality of living in the world, while trying not to be a part of it. It is hard not to be caught up in the emotionalism and resentments and hatreds that surround us in our toxic culture. A battleground, I suggest, is the mind.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2)

This is an imperative and, to be honest, it’s a journey that has barely started for me … and perhaps for you too. Now is the time to strive to do better. If we can renew our minds, by not focussing on the rubbish that is thrown at us, then we have a chance to know what God’s mind is for us, his good, pleasing and perfect will.

I need to do better. I want to love my enemies, but my mind is dragging me backwards into their world. The only way to free my mind is to fill it with God’s truths. Only then can the truth truly set me free … to love and forgive … even Zac Polanski!