LOVE

Ah, the word love. What or who comes to mind? Boyfriend? Family? Best friend? Pet? Sure...it's easy to love the people who love you. But how about loving those who don't love you?

I have been struggling with showing love towards a certain complicated person. Yes, I may be cordial to this person...but the minute that person walks away, I am quick to talk badly about that person. This person  frustrates me to the point where I have said some really bad things about this person to other people...causing others to join me in this hatred. Pretty pathetic, huh?

Today, I stumbled across this verse, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." Luke 6:27-28.

So, I asked God...how do I love this person when they don't even deserve it? How do I even show them love when this person does me wrong? Why do I have to be nice to this person? I mean...be nice as in showing them love and even pray for them? WHY?

God punched me in the gut with what he revealed to me, "I love you, no matter how many times you've hurt and disobeyed me. I love you so much that I laid down MY life to die for you...when you did not deserve it. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Love your enemies and DO GOOD to them."

Ouch.  What a big slap in the face. I needed this reminder. It's so simple, yet so hard to follow. So here I am...dying to my pride, I will fight to show this person love regardless of how badly they treat me. I need to start leading by example and not cause my friends to stumble with me in my times of frustration.

Lord my prayer, is to show me how to love like YOU love me.