6 Ways to Get Your Enemy to Like You

The Bible says, “Love your enemy and pray for them.” It’s countercultural and difficult. But it’s also an important lesson to learn.

We all have enemies — people we have trouble with, or who we’re not good with. Sometimes we even have enemies within ourselves.

If you’ve ever been a target of a bully, you know the pain. They might try to humiliate you, stab you in the back, or spread lies about you. They might even want to kill you. You have to decide whether they’re worth the pain.

But there’s a better way to handle them. You can change them into a friend.

Here are six ways you can do just that:

1. Consider your enemy a brother or sister

Do you have a close friend who is your enemy? When you get angry or irritated with others, take a step back and think about what it would be like to have them as a friend.

You might find that they have similar values, beliefs, or hobbies to you. Perhaps they share a certain sense of humor with you.

2. Ask them for a favor

Did you know that asking someone for something small can make them like you more? Two scientific studies have shown that people are more likely to like someone who asks them for a favor.

The key is to do it in a way that makes them feel appreciated. Don’t ask for a thing that they can’t fulfill, and don’t do it when they’re tired, stressed, hungry, or have other things to do.

3. Refuse to retaliate against them

If you’re feeling angry with someone, stop yourself and breathe deeply. It might be hard to do, but it’s important that you stop your feelings of anger or resentment.

4. Don’t let it ruin your relationship with them

If they are a good person and have a nice heart, don’t try to hurt them in return. They may be right to be angry with you and if they aren’t, you don’t have to respond to them in anger or retaliation.

5. Be kind and compassionate to them

When you love someone, they’ll be able to see the best in you. That’s what Jesus meant when he told us to love our enemies and pray for them.

6. Make them happier

Another counterintuitive way to make an enemy like you is to try to make them happy. This can be as simple as asking them for a favour, or as complex as helping them out in some way.

7. Detach yourself

If you are unable to get yourself out of a situation, or you aren’t feeling very pleasant about it, try to detach yourself from the situation. This is easy to do if you can imagine yourself floating out of your body and looking down on it as an objective observer.

It can be hard, but if you’re willing to do it, you’ll be surprised at how much this changes the way you see your enemy. It might even lead to you forming a friendship with them, and it could be just the thing that will help you overcome your enemies in the future!