No taller than a 10-year-old, with a sly and suspicious gleam in her eye, she played the role of the proverbial evil landlady with me, but was as sweet as honey to my Hubby. The other residents, also hostile, seemed amiable by comparison. And the dark, damp apartment revealed a miserly streak as well.
It rained half the year in that picturesque area of Lombardy, creating both lush landscape and thriving mold. Between wiping the walls with bleach, and throwing away ruined shoes and purses, I shed many a tear of frustration.
Anything that could go wrong, did!
But the real trial began when everything that could go wrong did! And according to the landlady, it was always my fault!
First, the sewage system backed up.
My fault, for surely I must have flushed a towel down the toilet! And in keeping with their frugal cheap ways, the landlords attempted to fix it, discovering that accumulated rocks had caused the blockage. But it was Hubby who ended up having to fish all the filth out of the outside sewer pipes.
Never a word of thanks or apology for ruined clothes, but at least we could flush the toilet again!
Then the incoming water slowed to a trickle.
Until finally drying up completely. Not a single a drop of water would come through! “What you have done now?” she yelled. And because I had “done something,” although she didn’t know what, she again she refused to call a plumber. My patience, never great, was wearing even thinner. Sandwiches and pizza (as much as I love them) were getting old!
Then we finally found a new apartment to rent! And none too soon. I’d had about as much as I could stand!
But then the lightning hit.
But it was then that lightning hit the house. “This is impossible!” I thought, “Like a scene from a bad movie! Or a nightmare! What else could go wrong? No water, no electricity, all we need now is for the roof to collapse!” So I wearily added a lantern, candles, and kerosene to my shopping list, knowing they would never call an electrician.
I dreaded telling the hated landlady. Yes, I was beginning to despise the woman.
“What have you done this time?” she screeched at me.
And I spat out through clenched teeth, “Signora, I didn’t do anything! I told you it was lightning.” Then I added, since she obviously thought me capable of doing even the impossible, “And I can’t make lightning. Only God can!”
To which, fortunately, she had no reply. For I’m afraid I would have said: “And if I could, it would have hit your house, not mine!”
What kind of Christian was I?
Knowing that hate is wrong, I asked myself, “What kind of Christian are you, anyway?” But I was too weary to deal with it. No lights, no water, dripping walls, hateful landlords. I’d had it!
So with great enthusiasm I packed our few belongings – for Hubby had gone to sign the contract. And I wanted to be ready and waiting the minute he returned with the keys! Six months in that tiny place – where we shared the bedroom/sitting room with our 14-year-old son, and our 16-year-old daughter slept on a chair-bed in the kitchen – had been far too long!!
But he returned dejected and without a key. The new landlord was like our current landlords: greedy for rent money, but not wanting us to live there! We could use the apartment on week ends only. Full-time rent for part-time use? We didn’t sign the lease of course, but at least we got our deposit back.
Even then, I realized that the Lord had protected us from another bad situation. And I should have been thankful, but all I could do was sob. And wonder what lesson the Lord was trying to get through my thick skull!
Meanwhile, I had to get my heart right. Yes, the landlady was hateful. She was vicious and mean, and I’m sure she hated me. But that didn’t make my hatred right. Too many times I have retaliated, giving tit for tat, blaming my actions on the other person because they made me angry! I thought I could blame others for my wrong behavior and attitudes.
But we alone are responsible for how we act and think.
No one can make us angry unless we let them!
So, even though my heart wasn’t in it, I started serving her tea and homemade cookies, and even sent cookies home with her. I knew that the Lord wants us to do the right thing, even when we don’t feel like it. So I said, “Lord, I’ll do my part, but You’ll have to love her for me. I can’t find manage that right now.”
And I discovered that when we treat our enemies with love, we begin to really love them. When I made the effort, the Lord followed up by putting His love in my heart for her. The Lord can change our hearts, and even teach us to love people who are so unlovable!
“I’m really going to miss you,” she cried when we finally moved. “You always treated me like a queen! And I’ve always felt so loved here.” Amazed, I asked the Lord, “How can this be?” But I just felt him smiling and saying, “Isn’t that what you asked me to do?”
So I learned that both love and hate need to be nourished if they are to survive. When we feed them, they grow. It’s just a matter of deciding what kind of harvest we want!
Which are you growing: love and forgiveness or hate?
But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
Luke 6:27-28
Signora Sheila 
28 responses to “Like a Queen: Treating Enemies Like Royalty”
What a powerful testimony, Sheila. Only God can work that alchemy of grace (a Charles Spurgeon phrase I’m partial to!) in our hearts to transform hatred–which she deserved–to love. Your tea and cookies heaped coals of fire on her head (Proverbs 25:22)!
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Yes Nancy, who knew tea and cookies could do so much?! I’m so grateful that when we are unable he enables us. His strength is perfect in our weakness! How often we, his children, see this in our lives, and what a difference it makes! I love that alchemy of grace phrase! What a perfect description.
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Love, love, love this! Thank you for reminding us that we can be intentional with kind actions even if we don’t feel kind, and God will take care of the feelings. Great teaching and storytelling. Karen
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Thank you, Karen. That whole thing was a great lesson to me!! And a needed one!
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This is absolutely beautiful. I can feel Daddy God’s heart bursting with joy for your willingness to allow Him to shape you into His Son’s image!
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It wasn’t easy, but I learned so much from that experience!
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That is wonderfully noteable! <3
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Hi! I’ve nominated you for the Sunshine Blogger Award because you bring me sunshine when I read your blog. Duh. Details are at: The Real Reality Show Blog Shine Blogger Award post.
https://therealrealityshowblog.wordpress.com/2018/04/30/sunshine-blogger-award/
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Wow, thanks! But I have decided to keep this blog award-free. While I really appreciate the honor behind awards, I simply cannot spare the time to do them. As you said, “Accepting them actually involves work!” But thank you anyway, and God bless!
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Great piece on something we could all use reminding of, Sheila.
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Yes it is something we all need reminding of Vanessa. I still need such reminders regularly. How simple it would be if we only needed one crash course. but I seem to need courses 101, 102, etc. Thankfully the Lord is patient!!
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Amen to that!
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What a wonderful, insightful post, Sheila. Thanks for it.
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Thank you Cynthia, the Lord taught me so much through that experience, difficult as it was!!
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Wow. Hard lessons to learn, hard concepts to grasp. I’d have probably gotten a failing grade in that one. It’s that willingness to go the extra mile in spite of what your mind shouts at you. I’ve been through a few of those, a few of them I passed, others I failed. Fortunately God facilitates rewrites with more opportunities until we get it right. Excellent post Sheila, thank you!
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I would have gotten a failing grade too Bruce, if it hadn’t been for God’s help, grace, and strength. So many times I’ve had to say, “Lord I can’t. You’ll have to do it through me.” And he does. And it’s so amazing it leaves us awestruck!!
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I’ve had a few of those too, but I sometimes allow my lips to move before the prayer goes up, and you know how that works out. You’re right of course, God can even make the right words come out of our mouth. Thanks so much for sharing. Blessings.
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Yes Bruce, I know too well!! Many are the times I’ve wished I didn’t have a tongue, lol! Blessings to you too.
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“And I learned that both love and hate need nourishment. If we feed them, they grow.”
This is SO good, Sheila!! Loving the unlovable. That spiritual fruit can be so hard, can’t it? But when we seek the Lord, He is always faithful to change our hearts. She will never forget you, and who knows what God will do with those faithful seeds you planted?
Thank you!
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Thank you Linda, that is our prayer. That those tiny seeds planted in her heart will grow. And once again, the Lord proved that love triumphs!!
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Oh, Sheila… this is so powerful! Thank you for sharing your heart and your God-inspired perspective!! <3 and hugs!!
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Thank you Lynn, it was such a powerful lesson for me too. When we obey, God always takes that and does great things with it!! Hugs to you too!
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So very true! Thanks for sharing Sheila.
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Glad it blessed you Tom!
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Loving our enemies can mean loving the person and not their actions. :-) Loving each other can be a blessing to us and to others. :-)
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Yes, yes yes, Mimi. But loving her was still pretty hard for me! Thankfully, the Lord didn’t give up on me!!
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Great story!!
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Yes, because God does great things Jeff!!
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