Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. LOVE suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself; is not puffed up; does not not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things hopes all things, endures all things. LOVE never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 1 Corinthians 13:1-9 (NKJV - caps added)
What a beautiful scripture. This section of Scripture is spoken at many weddings. I can see everyone in the pews saying, "Awww...they love each other." It makes people cry. And it truly is a very beautiful description what real love is. Thank you, Lord, for Paul and his immense wisdom.
But, if we really take a long at this passage, I think it's actually quite scary. Why? Because this is not just a call to love your husband or wife. This is a call to love ALL people. This is a call to love the ones that you DON'T want to love. This is a call to love those who are on your bad side, the ones who piss you off, and the ones you're tired of trying with.
It's so much easier, sometimes, to love someone you have feelings for, or have a connection with. But try loving that person who's hurt you already. Try loving those at home, who you just don't see the point in fighting with/for. Try loving the unlovable.
I find myself in this battle many times, specifically with people who have betrayed my trust or have hurt me before. How could I ever trust them again? How can I love them, when I'm always afraid they're going to hurt me. So, I build walls. I block them out. "You're never gonna get in. You can't hurt me because I won't let you." After being hurt enough times in my life, I've learned to subconsciously build the walls, even to the point of rejecting my real care for my best friend. What ended up happening was I lost all compassion for a person that Yeshua died for. They were made in His image. But the Lord works in mysterious ways and turned me around in the craziest of ways (yes, I meant to rhyme).
When we block others out, we're actually missing out on a blessing from the Lord. We're missing out in experiencing His love! It's so funny...we experience God's love by loving others. It happens to me all the time. When I really have compassion on and love those around me, I feel God's heart for them, and it makes my own heart melt. Wow, God can love someone like that. It really makes me smile.
But I have to ask, why this extreme call to love like in 1 Corinthians 13? Why do we have to go that far for a person who we don't feel cares about us at all? Well, the simple answer is this: we love because He loved us first. 2 Corinthians 13 is an extreme sacrificial love. It requires a real grasp on the Beatitudes as a life practice as well as the fruit of the Spirit. How do you love the person you want to slap....ask for self-control! ;)
Yeshua loves the unlovable. Yeshua loves the weird people. Yeshua loves the ones who are constantly crying out for negative (or positive) attention. Yeshua loves you. Yeshua loves me. He calls us to be holy as He is holy. Be perfect as He is perfect. Our goal is to be more like Yeshua. So, doesn't that require a little more love? Perfect LOVE casts out all FEAR. A teacher at IHOP (I believe Mike Bickle) said once, "If you have a hard time with someone, give them money. You won't have a hard time with them anymore." Isn't that the truth!?! haha.
My point is, friends, that the LORD is calling us to love those who are unlovable simply because He loves them (whether you believe they deserve it or not). Compassion is apart of love. Ask God for compassion on those who are unlovable to you. Ask Him for compassion on those whom you don't trust anymore. Ask Him for love. This doesn't mean you let them walk all over you...just love them. Like Paul says, if you have all the spiritual gifts and then some....but, if you don't have love, you are nothing. Think on that before you reject a person you don't like who is hurting inside. A simple hug can go a long way....it does miles and miles for me. :)
Lord, give me strength to love others the way You love them, and to see others the way You see them. They are Your creation, made in Your image, and they deserve my compassion. Give me strength to overcome my fears of rejection and pain, and help me to overcome the lies of the enemy. Help me to take up my cross daily, just as You took up Your cross and died for every single person on this earth. Help me to be more like You, Yeshua. I seek Your face only. Amen.
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