Unloveable part 3
There are times when everybody acts, or seems, unloveable. Even me. Even you. And that's why it's so important to understand that love is unconditional. It has nothing to do with actions, or feelings. True love--sacrificial agape God love--is about giving people what they need. And in that way, sometimes the most unloveable people are the people who you ought to love the most. Now, again, I'm not saying you should put yourself in a bad situation where you hurt or damage yourself. I always go back to the example of how when you're in an airplane they tell you if something happens you need to put your own oxygen mask on before you try to help anybody else. Because what good will you be to anybody if you're laying on the floor unconscious? You HAVE to take care of yourself. There's nothing selfish, or wrong, with that. Look at 1 Samuel 30:6, "And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God." David was facing a lot of people who needed his help. And they were turning on him out of their fear and desperation. So what did David do? He encouraged himself in the Lord. Other translations say he strengthened himself in the Lord, or found strength in the Lord. Because that's what he needed. He needed strength in order to be strong for others. It's like Hebrews 4:16, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." We all have times of need. We all run into situations--or people--that test us. But we can either try (and fail) to handle it with our own strength... or we can strengthen ourselves in the Lord. We can run around like chickens with our heads cut off... or we can come boldly to the throne of grace. People who seem unloveable need grace, right? And where do we find it? At the throne of grace, of course! We find it where Noah found it; in the eyes of the Lord. And then when we receive that grace--because, again, we need it just as much as anybody--then we can release it. You can't give what you don't have. And you can only give what you do have. So first receive God's grace... strengthen yourself in Him... then release what you've got. Share what you've got. Love people even when "they don't deserve it." Because when it comes to love, deserve's got nothing to do with it. When it comes to love... we can all act unloveable. But more importantly... we are all worthy of love. For God so loved the WORLD--His entire creation and everything and everyone in it--that He gave His only beloved Son. He drew us ALL into Himself when He was lifted up from the earth on the cross. Because He loved (loves) us all. He loves us at our best, and at our worst, and all the times in between. What am I saying? Don't judge people according to appearance. Judge righteous judgment. Which means... love people. No matter who, no matter what. Love, because He first loved us. Love, because you're filled to overflowing with it. Not because you think somebody deserves it or not...!