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Called to Love



As Christians we are called to love our God, that is a given and tends to be pretty obvious. What I think a lot of us, myself included, forget though is that we are also called to love others. Jesus says in Matthew 22:37-40 "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'you shall love your neighbor as yourself' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

For me, it seems easy to love God, and difficult to love people. God is perfect but people are flawed. Too many times I've been hurt by the words or actions of others. Too many times I have seen the sin in peoples lives. Too many times I've heard lies and seen actions that make me start to think that it is impossible to love others.  I find myself saying and thinking things like "I hate people". Its so easy to consume myself with what I think of other people and their sin. I tend to forget that I am exactly like them. I am flawed. I am sinful. I have lied and cheated and caused harm to others in my words or actions. So what right do I have to say and think that I hate people when I am exactly what I claim to hate. Now that's hypocrisy.

I've been studying up this week about what it is to truly love others. I've found that I first had to remember that God truly loves us... all of us. Despite our sin and shortcomings, God loves all of us. John 3:16 is the definition of His love for us "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life". We all fall short of deserving His love but he still freely gave so that we can all receive if we so choose. 

If God so deeply loves and so freely gives, who am I to judge others because of the sin in their lives? Shouldn't I be loving without discrimination, without prejudice, and without fear? This is what the bible says about loving others. Take a few minutes to read and consider each passage.

Matthew 5 43-47
43"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He causes the sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. 46For If you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?

Romans 12:9-21
9Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. 
 14Bless those who persecute you: bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice, and week with those who weep. 16Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
17Repay no evil for evil. have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19Beloved do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. 20Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 

Romans 13:8-10
8Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 10Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.


1 Corinthians 13 4-7
4Love suffers long and is kind: love does not envy: love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Are you loving others the way that God has called you to love? When you get cut off in traffic do you forgive that person instead of getting angry with them and using harsh words? When your kids are arguing for the millionth time that day are you kind and patient or do you snap and raise your voice? When you see someone in need are you going above and beyond to meet their needs instead of just passing by pretending not to notice? Are you loving all without expecting anything in return? I challenge you to consider your thoughts and actions towards others this week. If you are cultivating a mindset of hate like I was I challenge you to change that and instead embrace a mindset love.

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