Known anyone unlovable?

Do you know someone unlovable?

No?   Well......

How about someone that get's on your last nerve as soon as they walk into the room?

Maybe someone that constantly calls attention to themselves.  Maybe by showing off, or trying to be funny (when they really aren't), getting into trouble at school or bragging about thing no one should ever be proud of.....

I think we all know people that show the above qualities.   Would you say that those people are unlovable?

Still no?   Hmmm...   Let's look at it from this perspective:

Would you be friends with that person or try to avoid them?
Do you try to get to know them better?  Try to understand why they act the way they do?

Be honest.

I think we all know the answer.   We all generally do what we can to avoid people that we know do some of the above things or just get on our nerves.

But is this what Jesus tells us to do?   Is this what Jesus did?

In Luke 6:27-36 Jesus says: "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, give them your shirt too.  Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.  Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.  If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners do that.  If you lend to those who can pay you back, what credit is that to you?  Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount.  But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return and your reward will be great, and you will be sons/daughters of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.  Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."

What does Jesus say here?   Does He say to ignore those who don't act like us?  Does he say to only be kind to those who are kind to us?

No.  Not at all.   Jesus tells us to love those who may hate us.  To love and be kind to those who curse us.

But this is often far from what we do - isn't it.

Let's be real.   What Jesus asks isn't easy.  In fact, to many of us it is very hard.  Isn't it funny how easy it is for us to dislike or show hate towards someone or something vs. show love?  Even tho showing love may not only help you feel better but may also who someone else who desperately needs to feel like someone - anyone - cares.

Here's a challenge for all of us - the next time you see someone who is acting the way I described at the beginning of this......

Don't run the other way.  Don't join in making fun or talking about that person.

Stop.   Try To understand theM (even if you couldn't understand them in 1000 years).   Be a friend - even if your attempts are met with rude behavior or cursing.

Don't stop trying.   At some point you just might get thru.   Maybe now, maybe later.   Maybe you won't ever see the end result.

But maybe, just maybe, you will be the only example of Jesus that individual ever gets to experience.

Our relationship with God

Our relationship with God is more than just a relationship of a lesser people worshipping their deity.

It is MUCH more than that.

It is a love story in which our creator so desperately loves us that He pursues us.  It is one in which He pursues us so desperately, that He came to earth and dies for each of our sins.   It is one in which a marriage covenant is used to describe our relationship with Jesus as the bridegroom and we as the bride.

Just like Jewish marriage traditions, Jesus has left to prepare a place for us.   We don't know when He will return.   Fact is, He doesn't either.    Jesus won't return until the Father, Abba, says it is time.

In the meantime, we, as the bride, are to be preparing for our grooms return.  We are to be keeping ourselves pure and not committing adultery.   However, that is were we all fall short.   We are all committing adultery in some fashion - spiritual adultery.   The thing is, we don't even realize it.   We worship our money, houses, cars, jobs, sports, vacations, cars, family, things in general over our relationship with God.

Many times the churches we attend reflect our lack of focus on God.   They tend to be more interested in providing a nice building, a service that has outstanding music and show.  Things they feel people want to help draw them in.   The church focuses more on pulling more people in than on helping the poor, missions, the sick, the elderly, the least of these that Jesus calls out in Matthew 25.  We have become more "in love" with the experience of church than in our actual relationship with God.  

I often wonder how many Christian's have accepted Christ more out of fear of going to hell vs. having an actual love of Jesus himself.  The difference between the two could be why people in the world don't see a need for God.   Do we truely radiate the love of Jesus in ways that make the world stand up and take notice or is Jesus more of an insurance policy?  

How different the world could be if Christian's would reflect Jesus vs. being the judgemental hypocrites we have become known to be.