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Loving The Unlovable |
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Article by Tom Gilbert —
© livingthesolution.com
I love life, it's people I can't
stand!
Do you ever feel that way? We can chuckle
over that statement, but if we're honest we recognize there
are people we feel that way about. It's not surprising. People
can be mean, cruel, insensitive and difficult. All people can.
Even you. Even me.
Jesus gave us the commandment to love each other as He has loved
us (John 15:12). Sure, that's easy for Him to say. He's God!
He has the capacity to love. He even forgave those who crucified
him while he was hanging in agony on the cross!
Why do we think it was easy for Jesus to love that way? Maybe
it was…I don't know. Being divine, his capacity for love
is infinite. When it comes to my loving others, no matter how
unlovable they may be, it doesn't really matter. What does matter
is that I let Jesus in and let him love through me.
Jesus told us that he and the Father (God) are one. He also
told us that he wants each of us to experience that union. That
must mean that Jesus' perfect love can dwell in me and be expressed
outwards to all those around me. Wow!
We really shouldn't be surprised that there are people who get
under our skin and some who really just seem so rotten that
we are revolted at the prospect of loving them. I'm sure there
are people who've thought that about me. Remember, we are all
sinners.
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We Get To Change
As new creations in Christ we get to change.
We become transformed by our spiritual rebirth and new way of
living. Unfortunately, not everyone is delighted when you undergo
that change (strange as that may seem).
If you belonged to the world, it would love
you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world,
but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world
hates you
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That's more from John's gospel,
chapter 15. It holds a key point. When you become a follower
of Christ you are no longer part of the world's way of doing
things. You've been chosen out of the world. You've turned your
back on it. It's only natural that those who are still of the
world will dislike, even hate, that.
As long as we are in the world we are going to experience persecution
for Christian beliefs. Sometimes it will be overt, and at other
times more subliminal. That should not change how we act. What
we do is a reflection of what we believe, right?
Even though the world may hate what Jesus represents, God still
loves the world. And the world can be pretty unlovable!
Remember,
"God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten
son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have
eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world
to condemn the world, but to save the world through him"
(John 3:16,17).
So, no matter how unlovable some people are, remember that we've
been "unlovable", too…but not to God. Let God's
love express itself through you. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit
(threefold help!) will do this.
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Scripture taken from the Holy
Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright © 1973,
1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved
throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible
Society.
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks
of International Bible Society. Use of either trademark for
the offering of goods or services requires the prior written
consent of International Bible Society.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible,
New Living Translation, copyright ©1996. Used by permission
of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189, USA. All
rights reserved.
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