Long ago in the United States, there was a man who had slaves, as many people did in those days. He had one slave who was a very good servant, and he loved this slave named John.
One day the master and John went to the market where slaves were sold. There they saw a very old man who was to be sold as a slave. His hair was gray, he could no longer stand upright as he had when he was young and strong, and he shook from weakness.
John begged his master to buy that man as his slave. The master was surprised, but he bought the slave, just as John wanted him to.
John carried the weak old man home to his own cabin and put him in his own bed. When the old man was hungry, John fed him. When he was thirsty, John gave him water. He put the old man in the warm sunshine when he was cold and moved him to the shade when he got too hot.
“What is the meaning of all this?” the master asked John one day. “Is this man your father?”
“No,” John answered.
“Is he your friend or brother?”
“No,” said John. “He is my enemy. Years ago he stole me from my home in Africa and sold me to be a slave. I am now doing what the Bible tells us to do: ‘Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you’” (Matthew 5:4444But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (Matthew 5:44)).
ML-02/28/2010