A Weekend Of Loving The Unlovable

Love is in the air! The store aisles are full of red and pink and candy and cuddly stuffed animals. Our thoughts are on how deeply we care, how that someone special has changed our lives and how bright the future looks because of love.

Ah, love.

It's easy to love someone who loves you back. It's simply to profess your love and be sweet on those special holidays. It's practically painless to reciprocate when someone shares their lovey-dovey feelings first.

What about when it's not so easy?

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. Matthew 5:44

That doesn't sound very romantic, does it? Enemies, cursing, hate, spite, persecution - I don't think we have a card in our Etsy shop for any of those.

Our natural inclination is to abandon those who wrong us and do us evil. "If they don't care, why should I?" In His sermon on the mount, however, Jesus told the people that these were the exact people who needed love - His love - the most.

Make this a weekend of loving the unlovable. Love the people who'd rather not be in a room with you. Be kind to those who don't care if they ever see you again. Exchange hateful feelings for those of compassion. Pray for the people who would rather use you and persecute you.

This may be the challenge of a lifetime, but it can also be life-altering.

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