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!!!