Originally published Monday, 08 December 2014.
www.insideoutwithcourtnaye.org
I’m going to start this post by saying that it’s easy to love those who are easy to love. Would you agree? I mean, it’s easy to love someone who buys you a gift. It’s easy to love someone who’s treating you right. It’s easy to love someone who has joy unspeakable joy or who lights up a room when they walk in. Those are the easy ones to love, right? But how about the ones who are hard to love?
How about the grumpy ones? Or the mean ones? Or even the ones who just always seem to have a bad attitude or chip on their shoulder? And what about the cold, stubborn, or over-critical ones? WAIT! Do you cringe or run the other way when you see the “hard to love” people coming your way? Trust me. I’ve been there before.
I remember a time when I had to be around someone who was hard to love. Oh my goodness! I could’ve screamed a thousand times! Somehow this person always ended up around me. I remember one time, I literally scurried away to a nearby restroom just so I could get away and breathe for a few minutes. I called it a “Steal away to Jesus Moment.” I’m not kidding!
I’ll tell you, that’s actually the time when Jesus showed me that I really had a “love” problem.
And to add to that fresh revelation, my mother-in-law told me the hardcore truth, “If you and the other person don’t get it together, you could be doing all the works of the Lord you want to do, and still bust hell wide-open!” WOE! That old wisdom opened my eyes several years ago! And that’s why I’m sharing it with you today.
It’s not worth it! LOVE…
First Corinthians 13:2-3 says, “If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future, and knew everything about everything, but didn’t love others, what good would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody.” Do you get the point? Basically, if we don’t have love, we’re just wasting our time.
Jesus says in Luke 6:32-33, “Do you think you deserve any credit merely for loving those who love you? Even the sinners do that! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, is that so wonderful? Even sinners do that much!” (NLT)
No doubt, loving those who are easy to love is exactly what it says…EASY. But Jesus wants more. He wants us to love the unlovable too. He tells us in Matthew 5:44, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” KJV (*This is a good verse to memorize, so when you run into people like these described, you’ll be ready to love them the way Jesus calls you to love them).
Now, before I prepare to close this post, what about those who we genuinely love, yet who can sometimes be hard to love? For instance, like that fiancé or husband that’s hard to love because he upset us or because we asked him to do something that he still hasn’t done yet. Or how about that co-worker who just worked on that last nerve? Or that sister in Christ, boss, leader, personal trainer, teenager, or strong-willed child that’s demanding more from you?
I’ll tell you, it’s done through 1 Corinthians 13:4-6 which tells us, “Love is patient. Love is kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” This is love unconditional, my sister.
So in spite of how somebody acts, or how they treat us, or how we feel about them, we have to choose to love them anyway. I know this is not easy. You might even have to fast about it (like I did). But either way, we have to do it. And it’s character. It’s actually God’s way of molding us into the image of His Son. It’s the key to God’s heart (“And you must love the Lord thy God with all of your heart…and love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark 12:30-31).
In a nutshell, it’s something that we must have as Christians in order that others may experience God’s love. That’s what this is all about. People need to see Him living in us while we’re here on this earth. First John 4:16-17 says, “…God is love and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world.” (NLT)
So no matter where you are with this today, don’t give up on loving others. The Holy Spirit will help you to do this. Just be on the lookout when he prompts you to show that smile, give that hug, do that kind thing, buy that gift, or ask that person how he or she is doing. Just be patient with them and don't run away! :-) Instead, press pass how you feel and love them in spite of how they are, what they’ve done (or haven’t done), and how they act….even when it’s hard. *Keep in mind…Jesus loved you in spite of how you were. And me too for that fact. Amen!
Love you sis! ;-)
Remember, Jesus is coming back soon! And those who endure unto the end shall be saved. So let’s be ready from the Inside Out!
~Courtnaye
**Recommended Book…“Reduce Me to Love” by Joyce Meyer. Awesome book!
*Thanks for reading! I hope and pray that you’ve been enlightened from this post. Feel absolutely free to leave a comment or for questions you can email me directly at insideoutwithcourtnaye@gmail.com, and I will respond promptly. Also, if this post and ministry has blessed your life, please consider making a donation of any amount today to help further the gospel here @ http://www.insideoutwithcourtnaye.org/.
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