September 12-Loving the tough ones

Happy Wednesday. The new fall classes start at our church tonight and Casey and I are enrolled in one together. (I think I’m more excited to spend time with my daughter than I am about the class but please don’t tell my teacher!) Do you ever wonder why it’s so easy to love some people and it’s so nice to spend time with them but others...well, it’s not so easy. Some people are just down right difficult. Yet we have been called to love all our “neighbors” not just the easy ones, but those not-so-easy ones, too. The ones who are always in trouble, the ones who eat up time, the ones who think their lives are always more important than yours, the ones who are mean, the ones that no matter what you do it’s never enough...all those folks, too. 


 “Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭10:34-37‬ ‭NLT‬‬


Loving the not-so-easy will cost us. It may cost us time or money or just our pride, but it will cost us. If we are going to show love to others, it’s inconvenient. It’s always going to be inconvenient. But the opportunity to love is always worth taking—the risks, the costs, the inconvenience—it’s worth it to emulate Jesus. Jesus loved us when we were unlovable and completely inconvenient and pretty inconsiderate at the cost he paid for our debt. Remember, if we want to follow Jesus, we have to work on loving others. 


Dear Lord, thank you for loving me when I was a not-so-easy to love. You are a great God and I am overwhelmed by your mercy and grace. And the fact that you love me spurs me to learn to love others and to work on seeing others and learning to love them like you do. Today we pray for the hurting and the broken and ask that your love would surround them. Let them feel your presence and know you care. We bring you praise and glorify your name. You alone are worthy, our great King. 

Amen and amen. 


Love you dear friend,

Pam

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