Love Your Enemies Isn’t Codependence: Guard Your Heart & Set Boundaries

A lot of times, people interpret the whole concept of "love thy enemies" incorrectly. I think they don't really get it. This is what I mean: they don't get where it lives. They don't get it where it lives, and the reason I say that is because I think some of them read that as codependence, and I don't think it's meant to be read as codependence.

For example, I saw this meme on TikTok about the David and Goliath story, and the reason why I mentioned it in the context of the Beatitudes is that loving your enemy doesn't mean you let your enemy destroy you. That's not what it means; it's that the act of resentment will destroy you completely, the hatred in of itself will destroy you completely.

Of course, in all situations you have to use discernment, but it's really not about high-level codependence; it's just not.

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) – “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” This verse reminds us that while we’re called to love our enemies, we must also protect our hearts and set appropriate boundaries so we don’t become consumed by resentment or harmed by unhealthy relationships "