那是意義深刻的一次握手。在1963年3月的一個晚上，來自兩間大學的籃球隊員（一位黑人，一位白人）不顧種族隔離主義者的仇恨，相互握手。這是密西西比州歷史上的頭一遭，純白人的男子球隊與有黑人的球隊進行較量。當時該州有一條不成文的規定：白人球隊不准與有黑人球員的隊伍比賽。所以密西西比州立大學隊為了與有四個黑人球員的洛約拉大學比賽，用替補球員以掩人耳目的方式避開禁令，進行了這場象徵著「改變」的比賽。而洛約拉大學的黑人球員則在整個賽季忍受著種族歧視，被觀眾丟爆米花和冰塊且處處遭排斥。

但這些年輕球員沒有放棄。當晚洛約拉大學隊以61-51擊敗密西西比州大學隊，後來還贏得了全國冠軍。但那晚真正勝利的是什麼？是化仇恨為友愛。正如耶穌的教導：「你們的仇敵，要愛他！恨你們的，要待他好！」（路加福音6章27節）

耶穌的教導是一個改變生命的概念。我們若要像耶穌教導的那樣愛敵人，就必須服從祂那革新的命令而有所改變。如同保羅寫道：「若有人在基督裡，他就是新造的人，舊事已過，都變成新的了」（哥林多後書5章17節）。但耶穌革新的方式如何在我們裡面勝過舊有的模式呢？答案是藉著愛。然後，在彼此的身上，我們最終得以看見祂。

The handshake spoke volumes. On a March night in 1963, two college basketball players—one Black, one White—defied the hate of segregationists and shook hands, marking the first time in Mississippi State’s history that its all-White men’s team played against an integrated team. To compete in the “game of change” against Loyola University Chicago in a national tournament, the Mississippi State squad avoided an injunction to stop them by using decoy players to leave their state. Loyola’s Black players, meantime, had endured racial slurs all season, getting pelted with popcorn and ice, and faced closed doors while traveling.

Yet the young men played. The Loyola Ramblers beat the Mississippi State Bulldogs 61–51, and Loyola eventually went on to win the NCAA national championship. But what really won that night? A move from hate toward love. As Jesus taught, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you” (Luke 6:27).

God’s instruction was a life-changing concept. To love our enemies as Christ taught, we must obey His revolutionary mandate to change. As Paul wrote, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). But how does His new way in us defeat the old? With love. Then, in each other, we can finally see Him.