Anyway Love – Part 2

Okay, so a couple of weeks ago we talked about loving “anyway,” versus loving them “because.”  God loves us because of who He is, not because of who we are, so we should strive to love people because our nature is a loving nature, not because of anything they do or don’t do for us.

That’s a great theory, right?  But what about that brother or sister in Christ who just gets under our skin?  I’m not talking about annoying little habits.  I’m talking about someone who is just doing us wrong.  Someone who is so busy making noise and causing problems.  We’ve all had those friends, right?  We’ve all known someone who thinks they know best and have all of the answers, and in the process causes a lot of pain and hurt and uncertainty.  How do you love them “anyway”?  How long do we have to “put up” with them?

Jesus Christ put up with brothers who called Him crazy.  This was His earthly family, and they thought He was nuts!  The people He fellowshipped with called Him a liar!  They ran Him out of His church and His town!  One of His closest friends denied even knowing who He was!  And every sin from past to present and throughout the end of time here on earth soaked His sinless soul as the one truth in His life, His very Father, turned away from Him!

“Anyway” love is hard!  How long do we have to have it?  Until life here is done.  Even for those who hurt us most?  Yes!  Where would we be if Christ didn’t have that love for us?

Anyway Love

Luke 6:32-36 says, “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you?  For even sinners love those who love them.  And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you?  For even sinners do the same.  And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you?  Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.  But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.  Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”

I heard that lesson in Sunday School and in youth group when I was growing up.  It encouraged me to love my enemies.  To love those who don’t run in my circle of friends, who are a little bit different than I am, and who just downright don’t like me very much.  I remember hearing that lesson and thinking that I could be a little bit nicer to the girl who sat at a lunch table by herself.  Or that I could turn the other cheek when the bully at school picked on me.  But I read it now and it holds a different meaning for me.

As adults we aren’t necessarily surrounded by those  who pick on us or who are a little different from us.  So does that mean this doesn’t apply to us?  Or does it mean that there is a little more application to it?  Is the point of this passage to encourage us to love the unlovable?  Or is it to have an “anyway love”?

What should we do when we pour our hearts into a Valentine’s day gift for our husband and he gets us a card?  Love him anyway!  What about our children?  Have you ever given every ounce of your love and attention to them, only to be told that it wasn’t enough and that you have scarred them?  What do you do with that?  Love them anyway!  What about your friendships?  Do you have a friend that you are just having a hard time connecting with?  Maybe because your schedules are so different, or because one or both of you are hurting, or because you just seem to be missing each other lately?  Love them anyway!

Life is hard, and loving people through life can be even harder.  Love them anyway!  This life is not about us… it’s about bringing glory to God.  And if we are waiting to find “because love,” we’ll miss out.  We cannot wait to love people “because” of what they do or who they are.  God doesn’t have “because love” with us.  If He did, we would all be in a heap of trouble!  So this Valentine’s day weekend, let’s all practice “anyway love.”  It’s the way God loves us!  And it’s sweet!!!

I Am

Aren’t those comforting words? Whatever our heart problem is, He is the answer! He doesn’t say that He knows the answer… rather that He is the answer! In Matthew 11:28 He urges, “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, And I will give you rest.” In John He tells us that He is the bread of life (6:35); the light of the world (8:12); the gate (10:9); the Good Shepherd (10:11); the resurrection and the life (11:25); the way and the truth and the life (14:6); and in 15:5 He says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Are you tired? Weary? Hungry? Worn down? Broken? Confused? Do you feel like you’re surrounded by darkness? By doubt? Are you looking for truth? Answers? He is! He doesn’t say “I was,” or “I will be.” He doesn’t say, “Look to me after you’ve tried everything else.” What do you need? Fill in the blank with “I am.” And rest in that. It’s sweet!