Not Easy part 2
Here's where (and when, and why) loving people seems like its not easy: We judge them, and we think we have to do it ourselves. Look at Jeremiah 32:27 in the NLT, "I am the LORD, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?" And the answer, of course, is no. There is nothing too hard for God. Especially loving people. That's not just what God does, that's who God IS. He would have to stop being God in order to stop loving people. And for the record, this is how God sees "good" people and "bad" people: ""You have heard the law that says, 'Love your neighbor' and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike" (Matthew 5:43-45 NLT). He loves without a thought. Because its His nature to do so. He gives sunlight and rain to everybody. I say this all the times: Deserve's got nothing to do with it. And when we can stop looking AT people and start looking IN people we'll see that no matter what our actions say, we are all worthy of love. When we stop responding to what's happening, and giving people back what they give to us... that's when things can GET easy. Because all we have to do is look within. See what we've got, and share it with others. And, like I always say, the coolest part is that you EXPERIENCE love by giving it away! I still remember one time when I gave someone a pretty big gift, and the way they responded (literally shaking with surprise, and joy, and gratitude)... I've never felt so much love. Not because of what I GOT, but because of what I GAVE. Now don't get me wrong, I didn't do it for that response. You can't control how people respond to you. But its the icing on the cake. And its awesome. My point, I think, is that when you stop trying and just let the love inside you flow... that's when living becomes easy. That's when its easy to love those people who do you wrong. Because you're not worried about what they're doing. (And for the most part I think that people are FOR themselves more than they are AGAINST you anyway. I think most of the time you're just in the way, not necessarily the target.) So when its not easy, stop trying. Is anything too hard for the Lord? Stop trying to do what Jesus would do and just let HIM do it in you, and through you, and as you. Live Jesus' life by letting HIM live it in you, and through you, and as you. Let what's inside come out. Because that IS easy. When you know and believe that its in there. When you simply set your affection on things above and receive and release the love of God. When it doesn't matter what's going on around you, because you know what's going on inside you. What's inside WILL come out. Or rather, what you BELIEVE is inside will come out. Let it. This little light of mine, right? I'm gonna LET it shine. Easiest thing in the world. Stop trying to be someone you're not and just be who you are. Who you REALLY are. Who you are in Christ. Which is who Christ is in you. Jesus. God in the flesh. Love in a body. God in YOUR flesh. Love in YOUR body. Coming out simply, easily, and naturally!