love people who don't like us

It is a real honor AND IT IS A LOT OF FUN to love on people.  Just to watch people's reaction to being nice to them does something to me. We have been there.  We've seen people who have been at the end of their rope find hope.  We've touched lives we didn't even know we were touching.

But what happens when there is no difference between me and the person I am serving?  That is not a question about class or situation of life.  It is a question of how I live, how we act with or without God.  Has Jesus changed our lives?  Lets take a closer look at this:

 

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) --- This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

 

Colossians 2:6 (NASB) --- Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

 

Am I different?  Do others see that I have changed?  It is not a choice but a happening that when we come to Jesus something changes inside of us … Jesus moves in.  We are forgiven.  But also something BEGINS to change on the outside.  Starts with our attitude and continues with our actions. 

One of the things we have to understand when we examine our love for people and how we show that love is that people who are seeking God and following God act and live differently than those they encounter in the world.  Did you hear that?  Why would anyone want to know or follow Jesus if there was nothing different about us? 

God has called us to love the people we come in contact with.  He didn't say to love those who love you.  He didn't say love those who are like you.  He didn't say love those who are easy to love.  He said to love everyone.  Even those people who throw stuff at us.

Luke 6 (GWT)

22,23 --- Blessed are you when people hate you, avoid you, insult you, and slander you because you are committed to the Son of Man.Rejoice then, and be very happy! You have a great reward in heaven. That's the way their ancestors treated the prophets.

35 --- Rather, love your enemies, help them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then you will have a great reward. You will be the children of the Most High God. After all, he is kind to unthankful and evil people.

That is a powerful statement about loving people who do not like us.  By the way, that is not a choice.  It is a command.  It is hard.  But God called up to love people who don't like us.