"And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love one another"
God commands us to love each other regardless of all other circumstances, but do we love each other as we should. As we "love" that movie? Or as we "love" that place? Too often we say how much we dislike, or even hate, someone and are not as quick to show our love. Oftentimes those who cause us the most pain and strife are the ones who need our love the most.
We have all known someone who dances a jig all over our last nerve. Most of the time we want absolutely nothing to do with this person. In fact, very often we do everything in our power to avoid this person, or to even hurt this person. Why? Why are we so quick to judge and avoid them? Why do we not immediately pick up on their strengths instead of their weaknesses? Why do we not love this person unconditionally despite the things they do that annoy you? In my profession I often meet people who dance that jig over and over again. My first instinct when I meet a person like this is to fuss about them to someone else, but why am I not showing my compassion for them? Why am I not praying to God for the strength to love these people as He so graciously commanded us to do?
My hope is that I stop taking the easy way out by complaining. My hope is that I act like the Christian I claim to be and love these people. My hope is that I love not just "love". My hope is that I love just as God commanded us to love.
Lauren, I really enjoyed this post (& I think I really needed it). It's hard to love regardless of circumstances, but God loves us regardless of all the sins we commit, so we should strive to do the same.
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