Loving the Unlovable

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With so much turmoil in the world, how do you show love to people you don’t know?  As Christians, we are commanded to love everyone, and I must admit that it is getting harder and harder to do each day.  With so much evil and injustice in the world, anger builds up inside and we just want to turn inwards towards ourselves, just take care of me, my four, and no more.

As human beings, we are trained or taught to love conditionally.  I will show love to you if you don’t hurt me.  Everyone has experienced emotional disappointment or hurt in their lives.  The hurt was so bad that it caused us to make decisions to ensure that it would never happen again.  From that point moving forward, our personalities have just shifted into conditional emotional contracts with others.  It gets worse as we get older because of the lack of patience, lack of trust, feeling emotionally drained, the irritation of constantly being used, and our love tank is just tapped out bone dry.

Did you know that the love that you need to have for others doesn’t come from you?  Yes, you can love people on your own strength.  But that only lasts for a while or until the emotional conditions change.  You may temporarily be so angry that you are not on speaking terms.  Maybe over time you will drift back to talking to the person.  But the love I’m talking about that comes from God is more powerful than you can ever imagine or understand.  This love is called an Agape (Pronounced: A-gop-pay) Love.

Agape is a Greek word to describe a type of love that is the highest form of love that is selfless, sacrificial, unconditional, endless, and doesn’t require the initiation of love from the other person.  This love is so powerful that it enables you to love your enemies.  A perfect example of using Agape love was demonstrated in a court room when a police officer shot and killed an innocent man while he was sitting in his own apartment.  She thought he was a burglar in her apartment, pulled out her gun and killed him.  The brother of the deceased did the unthinkable during the sentencing of the police officer by saying that he forgave her, didn’t want any harm to come to her, and asked if he could give her a hug in the courtroom.  How can you hug and love a person who killed your family member who was totally and completely innocent? (See the police trial of Amber Guyer and the story of Brandt Jean; https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/06/us/brandt-jean-botham-jean-forgiveness/index.html).

Agape love is not based on any condition or circumstances.  Agape love is a gift from God that allows you to see others the way He sees others.  Remember, all of us are created in the image of God.  And God loves each and every one of us so very much, that He sacrificed Jesus, placed all of the sin of the world on Him, punished sin while Jesus was on the cross so that He could have a loving relationship with us.  In other words, God loved us so much that He found a way to reconcile us back to Him.  We all know the popular scripture; John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. That whosoever believes in Him should not perish but will have eternal life.” That is the power of Agape Love.   Despite our sin, which caused us to be spiritually separated from God, He still found a way to bring us back to His fellowship.  It was His Love.

We are commanded to Love others.  Why?  There are several reasons:

• 1 John 3:14 (NLT) – It proves we have passed from death to life. It proves we are not separated from God.
• 1 John 3:16 (NLT) – It demonstrates the sacrifice Jesus did by dying on the cross because Jesus loved us. We are showing Jesus’ love to others by our sacrifice.
• 1 John 3:18,19 (NLT) – It shows the truth through our actions. Not our truth, God’s truth. And it shows that we belong to Him.
• 1 John 3: 23,24 (NLT) – It shows that we are obedient to His command to love others.
• 1 John 3:24 (NLT) – It shows that we will remain in fellowship with God.
• 1 John 3:24 (NLT) – It confirms that His Spirit lives inside of us.

If you are struggling to love others, then you are trying to love others on your own or lack the ability to love others.  Which means you seriously need to pray and ask God to give you His love so that you can love others.  Be honest when you pray.

Lord, as I read your Word, I see that you commanded us to love others. But I truly don’t have the desire to love others, especially those I don’t know because of the cruelty in this world.  I’ve been hurt so many times in the past and I can’t do it on my own. I need your help. 

Father, I ask that You pour out your Agape love inside of me so that I can love others.  Help me to see others the way you see others and help me to be sensitive to your voice when you compel me to move with love.  I ask you in faith and believe I receive this now in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Finally, Agape love operates from an engine called compassion.  There are many scriptures where Jesus was moved with compassion to heal and help others.  Have you figured out that Agape love is not about You?  It is about getting your mind off yourself and focusing on others.  Whenever Jesus was surrounded by people in need, the engine of compassion started revving up, and His love poured out to others.  Even while Jesus was dying on the cross, He cried out to God asking Him to forgive the people below because they didn’t know what they were doing.  Jesus didn’t say on the cross, “Father, make sure you punished them good for nailing me to this cross!”  You can’t move in Agape love if you only have yourself on your mind.  Get yourself out of your own way, and then you will see God’s love flow through you to others.

Trust me, God hasn’t forgotten about you.  Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and He will add all these things you desire unto to you.  (Matthew 6:33)

Be Blessed

Ron

Ron Cobbs Ministries © Copyright July 6th, 2024, All Rights Reserved