ONE OF THE GREATEST CHALLENGES ON EARTH – LOVING THE UNLOVELY -- Part 1

Let’s see the definition of the adjective unlovely : 1. unpleasant in appearance 2. unpleasant in character. We will concentrate today on the second one and I will be referring to those who have difficult personalities, obvious weaknesses and flaws, unkind attitudes, or whose lifestyle choices we disapprove of, the people who we frown upon, would not want to be and easily lack compassion for.       

There is a great difference between loving «mankind » and loving actively individuals we are cotoying. It is easy to merely love people generally and from a distance, to have a vague feeling for the masses. But actively loving someone in particular is exacting and find expression through our bodies, it requires presence and perseverance, it has to be personal and up close, it requires the help of the Holy Spirit of God.

It is difficult to love others sometimes because of their attitude, character, or appearance. But because humans are created in God’s image, they are worthy to be loved, even when they are unlovable. God loves the unlovable and He loves us… even though we are sometimes unlovable and ugly too.

Let us see in an unloving person an erring child of God, a human being who God loves and grieves over because he is going wrong. Let us see him as God originally designed and meant him to be, and therefore let us see through the surface layer of grime and dirt to the real man underneath. Let us not identify the person with his sin, but rather see in this sin something alien, something that did not really belong to him, something that merely chains and masters him and from which God would like to free him and bring him back to his real self. Let’s love them right through the layer of mud.

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 « DO NOT BE OVERCOME BY EVIL, BUT OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD. » (Romains 12 :21)  God says you need to love even those people who are difficult or seemingly impossible to love. The mark of true believers is the love they have for each other and for others. Did you know there usually is a reason that some people are very difficult to love ? More than likely, part of the problem is that they don’t have enough love, or have been deeply hurt and are still in pain, which means they need your love the most of all ! You will be amazed how much things will change if you just take that first step of faith and love the unlovely people around you. They are desperate for love and friendship, and you might make all the difference.
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A smile, a kind word, a listening ear, will show these people the love of God, and demonstrate concern about them. BE GOD’S AMBASSADOR, and reach out to them today. Love the unlovely and God will love you for it.