Love Your Enemies: The Radical Strength of Christlike Leadership

By Chaz Evanson, Candidate for Governor of Colorado

There are few commands in all of Scripture more difficult, and more powerful, than the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount:

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” Matthew 5:44 (NKJV)

In today’s cultural and political climate, this teaching cuts directly against the grain. We are told to strike back, to mock, to cancel, and to hate. The loudest voices in our society are often those who harbor the deepest grudges. But Christ calls us to something better something stronger. Not weakness, not passivity but a courageous love that transcends bitterness and builds a future grounded in truth and grace.

As a Marine, I was taught to confront enemies with force. As a follower of Christ, I have learned to confront them with prayer, with dignity, and with discipline. As a candidate to serve this state, I believe the strength of a leader is not just measured by how fiercely he defends the truth but by how deeply he loves those who oppose him.

“If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.” Proverbs 25:21 (NKJV)

“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles.” Proverbs 24:17 (NKJV)

Love That Defies the World

Jesus continues in Luke’s Gospel:

“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. … But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.” Luke 6:27-28, 32 (NKJV)

This is not mere sentiment. It is not appeasement. It is spiritual courage. To love an enemy is not to surrender your convictions, it is to demonstrate that your convictions are rooted in the character of Christ. If we only love those who agree with us, we are no different than the world.

This is the standard of God’s children. As Christ said:

“You shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48 (NKJV)

Perfect love does not mean tolerance of evil but it does mean that hatred will not be our weapon. Love restrains vengeance. Love calls out evil without becoming evil. Love sees the image of God even in the face of hostility.

A Nation Built on Moral Courage

The Founding Fathers of this Republic understood the danger of hatred and the necessity of moral restraint. Though they did not always quote the Sermon on the Mount, they lived with an awareness that only a virtuous people could remain free.

“A man who is angry is seldom reasonable; a man who is reasonable is seldom angry.” John Adams

“Let us not look back with anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness.” James Madison

“To cherish peace and goodwill, to be gentle toward all men, and to exercise charity toward neighbors and enemies alike is not weakness but the height of civilized strength.” George Washington

They fought a war for independence, yes, but also prayed for their enemies. They built a Constitution designed to protect rights, not punish disagreement. Their courage was not animated by hatred but by hope.

Colorado Needs a Better Way

Today, our politics are filled with venom. The social fabric of our state is torn by identity wars, grudges, and ideological warfare. But I believe there is a better way, a way that holds firm to truth and never compromises righteousness but does so without bitterness and without malice.

As your Governor, I will not participate in the politics of resentment. I will not return insult for insult or demonize fellow Coloradans who see the world differently. I will stand for faith, virtue, and freedom, but I will do it with a spirit of goodwill, and I will call all citizens to a higher ground.

“Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.” Romans 12:17 (NKJV)

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21 (NKJV)

“Let all that you do be done with love.” I Corinthians 16:14 (NKJV)

A Call to Christlike Citizenship

Loving our enemies does not mean abandoning the battle for truth. It means fighting that battle with a clean heart, with disciplined words, and with a prayerful spirit. It means seeking restoration instead of revenge. It means that the goal is not to crush your opponent, but to win your brother.

If we want to preserve liberty in Colorado, we must restore the moral and spiritual foundations that made liberty possible. And that starts with us, how we speak, how we live, how we lead.

“You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. … But you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” Leviticus 19:17-18 (NKJV)