“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)
Read: Numbers 4:1 – 5:31, Mark 12:18-37, Psalm 48:1-14, Proverbs 10:26
Relate: Some people are easy to like. They just exude charm. It might be because they are always smiling. Perhaps they’re a bit shy but always finding ways that they can help or serve others. Maybe they are the life of the party and have an uncanny knack for making everyone feel welcome and at ease. Some people just always know the right thing to say and are pouring out encouragement at every opportunity. Whatever it is, there are certain people in my life that it is very hard not to like. And then there are some others…
Some people just don’t know how to navigate the waters of social dynamics. They’re rude. They smell. They have this thing that they do and whenever I see it I just… ugh. I swear they do it on purpose just because they know much it gets on my nerves. I don’t know if they were not loved enough as kids. Perhaps one of their parents dropped them on their heads or something. There are certain people who just rub me the wrong way. I wonder how many people think of me as the one who is rubbing them the wrong way? Nah. Impossible. I’m definitely always one of those people floating in that first category. Right? RIGHT?! (You better be nodding your head)
React: All three of Jesus’ closest friends were notorious for their big mouths or short tempers. Among His crew He also had a couple militant radicals, an IRS agent, a vocal skeptic, and a known thief. It definitely was not an A Team collection. In fact, it almost seems as if Jesus took the marginalized, the most unlovable people and showered his love and attention on them. Actually, I know that’s true because he said himself that he has come for the sick, not the healthy. I also know that is true because he has showered his love on me.
So who is it at work that rubs me the wrong way? Which neighbor is the one everyone else tries to avoid? Who is the person at church that no one else cares to talk to much? Who is the unlovable? How can I show my love to them? How can I demonstrate to the lonely that they are not alone, to the marginalized that they belong? In what ways can I be Jesus to the ones who need Jesus the most? Can I say I love God if I will not love my neighbor?
Respond:
God, help me to show my love for You through my interactions with others. Help me to shower Your love on the unlovable. Give me patience to put up with those things that annoy me. Give me perseverance to forgive over and over those who will let me down. Give me trust and insight to understand that You are working on them just as You are working on me. Above all give me Your love, because my own is just far too selective.
THE RIVER WALK 
Enjoyed this!
Amen to it. Beautiful and wonderful prayer. Just what I need now. Thank you and God bless.
totally beautiful. I shall show forth His LOVE more by His Grace
That was well done and a great reminder. We never know, based on the way a person looks, just what work God may have in mind for them. What right do we have to get in the way of that because of our unfair judgments of them?
Awesome message. I really liked the prayer. Thanks for sharing.
I smiled when I saw the hard to love celebs, because I have been moved with such compassion for each of them and pray consistently for them. . . now if I can just learn to do the same with my difficult to love neighbor.
Well written!
Praise the living God. Great words of encouragement. Thanks!
I find myself praying this often. It’s encouraging to be reminded that others struggle with loving as Jesus does as well. Thank you.
While Jesus’s team was not a bunch of A-listers, they did do one very important thing: they followed when he called. There were many others that turned away. Thus when Jesus says “…many are called, but few are chosen” [Matt. 22:14], we should notice that those that came to the king’s wedding feast chose themselves.
This has been the most difficult lesson of my life: we cannot help those that will not love themselves. Yes, we always need to keep our radar up for that moment of change, but we also need to realize that sometimes people need to learn to control their impulses to hurt themselves and others.
Beautifully said. God loves the unloveable and the unloveable is me.
Thanks
Yes, we need to seek them out!
Reblogged this on RG's 2 Cents and commented:
I really need this right now!
Reblogged this on Christ for young women.
I love this! And love this Jason Upton song!
Very nice! I am reminded of the scene from “Fireproof” when Kirk’s character states ‘what am I supposed to do when I continually try to love her but she constantly refuses my love’ and the camera pans to the cross behind his father. Because God loved us, we should be ready and willing to reciprocate that same love.
YES!
Great image!
Very good post…things to chew on for sure!
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I must say I agree, wholeheartedly, with this post. Seems there are many others with the same struggles I face. I followed your blog and look forward to reading more of your posts.
Hello Beejai – I enjoyed reading your post. I am so pleased every time I see a young person that is following Jesus – and you are going beyond that to encouraging others by your writing. I write quite differently, but it is always easy to spot someone who has some “one on one” going on with God. I could be your grandmother you know – so I am glad to see one writing with the kind of language and form that others in your generation can identify with. God Bless you Beejai!
Wonderfully true, and if my friend Candy missing teeth, overweight, stringy hair, huge loving grace- filled heart. We walk past wonder and Jesus in lives every day.
Amen! A wonderful and thoughtful post. 🙂
I really like your message. Your blog has a good feel to it. I’ll keep checking you out.
Wonderfully said. I was meant to read this post today. I was about to pray for patience when dealing with people that are small minded, back talk and judgmental and ask God to guide me and help me with this . All I can say after reading your post is Amen! Thank you for stopping by my blog https://inspirelifelivelove.wordpress.com. I look forward to reading your posts 🙂
So powerful a message
Reblogged this on Real About Life and commented:
How different are we in our love walk?
Love this. Imperfection is a matter of imperceptible degrees, not of true or false.