Imagine beginning a brief conversation with God that goes like this….
You: “I’m sorry God, I don’t know what to tell you. I just can’t love that person. I can’t do it. I can’t love her.”
God: “Why? Why can’t you love her?”
Now, stop the conversation there. My question is, what answer could you give God, at that point, that would justify withholding your love? What could you say that might get this response out of God….
“Oh, that’s your reason! Well, why didn’t you say so!?! I understand. If she did THAT…well, then you have every right not to love her. In that case, I, God, formally release you from your obligation to love that person.”
I know, it’s silly, isn’t it? What we understand from the Bible is that we have no valid justification for not loving a person. This is not necessarily an easy truth. Frankly, there are people who are hard to love. There are people who have hurt us in ways that make extending love to them almost painful.
But Jesus—who loved the people who nailed him to a cross—tells us that love is the greatest commandment. Jesus even tells us to love our enemies.
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.”--Matthew 5:43-45
We really are called to an extraordinary standard. We are called to extend love to everyone.
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