(Matthew 5:44 NKJV) “But 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…
One of the things I had to learn and am still working on every day is learning how to love the person when I don’t like their actions.
Seriously… how many times do we look at a person, watch their actions, and look at their outward appearance before making our decision to accept them?
God does not tell us to love someone just because they look good, dress nice or act the same as us. He tells us to love our enemy…OUCH!
This kind of love takes a changing of our heart. It takes learning, discipline and action on our part to love and accept people for the person they are. We can’t do this on our own, but we can do this with God’s help!
If they are our enemy, if they curse us, if they hate us, if they spitefully use us and persecute us, we STILL need to love them. Not after they apologize or change their behavior, but in the state that they are in. It doesn’t mean we love the things they do, but we love the person.
As God’s children, we need to look beyond one’s errors, mistakes and disadvantages and love the person. How do we learn to love the person and look beyond their actions?
We have to surrender our feelings toward the person and let God’s Word change our heart. We have to follow His example. He loved us first and sent His Son for us in spite of our terrible, sinful nature. We too must love in this way.
We can’t just say we love someone; we have to show them we love them. It is by our actions that love conquers all!
Is there someone in your life today that you struggle with? Do you love them deeply but have a hard time showing them, because you’re afraid of the hurt you feel when you’re around them?
Let God teach us how to show our love for others without getting hurt by their actions.
Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808
401-315-0902
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