If you meet your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him.
Exodus 23:4
Doing something nice for an enemy is contrary to human nature. The very idea of it makes us uncomfortable and maybe a little bit defensive. We worry about what if the person takes it wrong and it makes them mad. My favorite is when it’s somebody I don’t know and I try to help them by pointing out that they are driving way from the Seven Eleven with a sixty-four ounce drink on top of their car, and they return the favor by waving in an unfriendly manner.
The scripture says we still got to do it – return the ox and hope for the best, or return the ox and run away fast. It’s not about how our actions are received, it’s about showing mercy.
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