There are terrible things happening in our world right now. Vile, awful displays of hatred. Not only are they happening in the world, right now they’re taking place right on our doorstep. So, today I’m going to talk about those who are ‘hard to love’.
Sometimes as an ‘influencer’, I know others look to gauge our reactions. I try to stay out of world affairs and politics- most of the time they don’t tend to affect me in the comfortable bubble I’ve created for myself. But, this time it’s too close to home for me to ignore.
If you’ve happened to turn on the news, or even glanced at social media, you will have seen what happened this weekend. Disgusting acts: violence- fueled by hate, sparked by fear.
As a person- it makes me sick to see another human being judging someone, not even by their character, but simply by the color of their skin. As a christian, it breaks my heart to see God’s children treating each other this way.
But, something that the pastor at church said yesterday really stuck with me. As a Christ follower, I am required to love equally. I am called to love everyone- that means the persecuted, as well as the persecutor.
I struggle with this-
you mean I have to love those so filled with hate, it literally makes me sick?”
Yes.
God does- He loves them. He wants to see them come to repentance, just as much as he wants anyone to be saved. He sent his son to die so that we all have this opportunity.
He calls me to ‘love one another as He has loved me’. That means forgiving the vile, awful things that these people have done- just as he forgives.
And though I will condemn these actions with every ounce of my being, and I am sickened by their hatred- I will still pray for their souls. One of the hardest things I am called to do as a follower of Christ, is to love those that hate me. So I will pray. That they will see the error of their ways. That they will come to repentance.
Because I was forgiven when I didn’t deserve it.
