Love, ah... it's easy for us to love each other. We are brothers
and sisters in Christ. It's easy to love members of your family, of
your church, and it's easy to love friends. But how about the
hard-to-love?
What about the person that has wronged you? The person who has
talked bad about you, spread gossip, rumors? The person that did you
wrong in a business deal, at school or at a social function? How
about that person you truly feel you can not love
anymore, because of the hatred they have shown to you? We all
have them, don't we? Or am I the only one?
Jesus is saying, "Hey Christians, even the pagans love those who
love them. How are you going to show MY Love?" Notice how the love
of Christ turns the "world's" value system upside-down. The world
says, "hate your enemies;" Jesus says love your enemies. But how do
we do it?
I remember one time someone ask my daddy, "hey
do you like me?" His answer was, "as a human man I do not like
your ways, but as a child of God, and my brother in Christ, I love
you." WOW!
Now as the sentence above states, Jesus says
love your enemies. But how do we do it?
Ready for the answer? Hang on to your hats! Pray. Yes, prayer.
Simple answer yes, but a powerful solution. Pray for that person who
has wronged you. Now don't go and pray like I used to pray, "Lord
get back at that person. Lord, make them pay for what they did to
me, or Lord, give me a chance to blow him out!"
You really don't think God wants us to pray to change God, do
you? Prayer doesn't change God; it changes us. In my opinion, God
uses prayer for two reasons. One -- to allow us to participate in
His plan and two -- to change us. Pray fervently and earnestly for
someone that is hard for you to love, and God will change your heart
toward that person. God will show you what He Himself sees in that
person.
How will the world know us Christ-Followers? They will know us by
our love that flows from our love of Jesus Christ.
John 13:34-35 (NCV) I give you a new
command: Love each other. You must love each other as I have loved
you. All people will know that you are my followers if you love
each other.
Well... tough stuff, but we need to do it, folks -- and we can do
it -- armed with His love.
Dear Lord, we praise you and thank you for
all you do for us. Father, help us to love the hard to love; help us
to see them through the perfect eyes of Jesus. Lord, forgive us for
not loving others as You command us to do. Forgive us for falling
short of Your mark. Restore us Lord, fill us up with Your Spirit and
Your love, so that through us Your love will flow to others. In
Christ's precious name, Amen.
