Luke 6:27-28

But I tell you who hear me:
Love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you,
pray for those who mistreat you.

In Luke 6:22, the Lord Jesus defines persecution with four verbs: hatred, exclusion, insult and rejection.

Later in the chapter, Jesus gives more emphasis on how we are to respond to persecution that comes our way.

One of the ways is to pray for those who persecute us. This is a parallel principle with loving our enemies. God will honor this principle of prayer.

Let us respond to persecution with non-violence
as the Lord Jesus taught.

When we pray for our enemy and love our enemy, he or she is no longer our enemy.

Oh God, help me to always respond this way.