LOVING THE PEOPLE YOU DON’T LIKE

Do you expose or do you cover? Do you point out hypocrisy and inconsistency or do you shine the spotlight on the good and praiseworthy? When you dig do you look for dirt or gold?

The basic question is do you love others the way Christ loves you? Now, let's make it even more personal. Think of the specific person you don’t like. Don’t write her name in the comments! But visualize her.

Do you love her the same way Christ loves you? Do you give her the same grace? Do you see her through His eyes the way God sees you through His Son? Do you cover her offenses with the blood of Christ the way that He has covered your offenses with His blood?

I am not talking about enabling someone’s poor choices and justifying their sin. I’m talking about forgiveness and grace. Do you carry them before the throne in prayer or throw them under the bus in gossip?

I still have a long way to go, but now when I am around someone I don't care for, I ask God to enable me to look at them through His eyes. Instead of wanting to hide from them or hope they go away, I now ask Jesus what He desires to do in them. I tell myself that He created them like they are for a reason. Yes, He did.

If they were restored to the original plan He had in mind for them what would that look like? I think first about what He has done for me and then try to visualize what they could be if He were able to do the same thing for them.

I know I’m different because of His grace. If I have changed, why couldn't He do the same for them?

I can promise that what I just shared is a huge shift in my former thinking. But I don't stop there. This is an even bigger step. After I think about what God wants to do for them and through them, I then ask God to show them His love through me. This is completely different hiding from them or wishing they would go away.

Like I said, I have a long way to go. But I liken it to being in a long line and thinking I haven't made any progress at all. Then when I glance behind I can see the great distance from where I have come.

Everyone won't be your best friend, but Biblical love isn't about emotion. It is about action. "Agape" love (the Greek word for God-like love) doesn't even involve feelings. It is doing the right thing because it is the right thing.

Sometimes you come to love those people you don't like. Other times, you show love to people you still don't like. Either way, it's agape love.

I bet when I asked you to visualize the person you didn't like that I was the person several of you visualized! Give me another chance. God did. And if I wasn't the person you visualized is because you only know me through Facebook. Get up close for a few weeks!

Whoever it is, ask God to change you first, and then let Him know you are available to be the one to show His love to them. It will do as much for you as it will for them.