Whenever I hear this phrase “love your neighbor,” I always say that it is already a cliché. Everyone knows that especially when you are already a Christian. We have been bombarded with sermons, books, preaching, and maybe even counsels on how we ought to love others. Even those people who are not in the faith would know that. But as what they say, easier said than done. I have been a Christian for quite sometime, but I still find myself struggling in this area, if not because of God’s amazing power. I had experienced an exhausting lesson on loving others because I looked on their offenses more than I looked upon Jesus – the ultimate source of love.
I hated people. I had a hard time forgiving them. I cursed unlovable people in the past. And, of all those experiences, I have now learned how to love them in the Lord (and continuously learning), even those who hurt and wronged me badly. I know how impossible it is to love others whom we think are wicked, unlovable, and no seemingly good in them. So, whenever I look at others like this, I always go back to the truth that even the vilest person, Jesus died for him. ”For God so loved the world (John 3:16) – and the world are all the people.
I had studied a lesson from a discipleship book which tackles about “loving others” as one of the ultimate signs of being in Christ. As I went through the details, I could not stopped wondering if I am truly loving people as how the Scripture commanded me to do so.
1 John 1:11 – “ But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and wither he goeth not, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.”
More over, Jesus commanded us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:39). Such an explicit idea on loving ourselves innately. Can we hate ourselves for doing the most wicked thing? I believe not. We always love ourselves no matter how scary (if I may say) a thing we might have done. If the Lord tells us that we must love others as we love ourselves, then, no matter what they do to us (even the unimaginable wickedness towards us) must be exchange with love. We cannot hate ourselves – in like manner, we cannot hate others for doing wicked things considering how we respond to ourselves when we commit wrong things.
What is the worst and scariest thing that others did to us? Hurt us? Abandoned us? Gossiped about us? Accused us?
Stephen was a blameless man of faith and his story (Acts 7:54-60) gave us an illustration how possible it is to love and forgive others in Jesus. Those people stoned him to death, and yet, before he died he asked God to not hold that sin against them (v60).
Jesus when he was on the cross told His Father to forgive them for they did not know what they were doing (Luke 23:24).
Without love, it is impossible to forgive. Without realizing how much God loves us, it is impossible to love and forgive.
I have gotten hurt and been offended for countless of times. And the more I cling onto God and love people though it hurts, the more I experience God’s love and peace. On the other way, I have offended and hurt others, too. This thought fuels me to give that love back to others.
Like what Corrie Ten Boom said,
“Do you know what hurts so very much? It’s love. Love is the strongest force in the world, and when it is blocked that means pain. There are two things we can do when this happens. We can kill that love so that it stops hurting. But then of course part of us dies, too. Or we can ask God to open up another route for that love to travel.”
Only God can give us the strength and power to love others despite . . .
Maybe it is time to search our hearts – is there any unforgiveness, hatred, or anger in us that keep us from really loving others the way God wants us to do? (Psalm 139:22-24)
Maybe it is time to be reconciled with those people whom we considered enemies for God’s sake. (Matthew 5:23-24)
Maybe the Lord is touching our hearts to die to ourselves in order that we may gain His love which we can extend to those people who don’t deserve it? (Matthew 16:24)
Maybe we need to realize that we are not also deserving of God’s love. And yet, He loves us so much. Who are we then, to withhold love to those who are undeserving? (John 3:16) (Romans 5:8)
Are we at peace with all men? (Romans 12:18)
Indeed, it is easy to read and study the bible, but how far can we go for its real life application?
Are you loving people the way Jesus did (and does)?
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