In this week’s SojoMail, Adam Russell Taylor writes that as Christians, we need to meet perilous feelings with a resolve to follow Jesus and remember his teachings: The truth will set us free, and we must learn to love our enemies:
In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, he says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor 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). Jesus uses one of his common rhetorical techniques in which he contrasts what is common knowledge or law with his new standard. In this case, raising the bar of loving our neighbors — which is already a tall order — to the even higher standard of loving our enemies.
Politically, the word “enemies” can seem to reinforce a toxic us-versus-them mentality that is already so pervasive. I prefer to think of those who have opposing views or beliefs as opponents rather than enemies. But if we are honest with ourselves, purported all-or-nothing, existential political stakes make political opponents increasingly feel like enemies.
Recent polling from the Pew Research Center finds that “[d]eeply negative views” of the opposing party are about three times as likely now as they were 30 years ago. Instead of disagreeing with political opponents, the majority of Americans now have contempt toward them. This is the territory of seeing them as “enemies,” the same people Jesus calls us to love.
Loving our enemies means we strongly denounce evil and unjust systems, words, and actions while we refuse to dehumanize or demonize those who are promoting them. For Christians, loving our enemies is made possible by seeking to find the image of God in each person.
How do we strike this balance of truthfully criticizing the positions of political adversaries while not demonizing or vilifying them, and, indeed, loving them? | 
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