Loving the unlovable...

PEOPLE ARE NOT DISPOSABLE!!!

In my studies over the past year and a half, I have spent many hours attempting with all of my heart to understand human nature -- what makes people tick, what experiences in life help to form who we become and how we treat those we love and maybe don't love so much.  In essence, how we perceive the world around us and how we react to the experiences we are faced with.

I will be honest, I have shed more than a few tears as I've read accounts of the tragedies of children and adults...the sad state that some are dealing with is nothing short of heartbreaking.

I look around me and I wonder WHY?

I see some of our friends, neighbors, acquaintances who are falling into bad places in their personal relationships...one common thread in all is an obvious lack of "valuing" others.

I see hate and intolerance.  
I don't see love and forgiveness.  
I see grudges and resentment.  
I see little understanding and even less effort.

I see people who were once wonderful and kind and lovable become not so lovely to those they claimed to once love.

I am overcome with a thought that will not leave me...maybe I need to share it with a couple of couples that I have on my mind and on my heart:  

In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord taught:

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

“But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

“And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.

“And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

“Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

“But I say unto you,

  Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, 
do good to them that hate you, 
and pray for them which despitefully use you,
 and persecute you” (Matthew 5:38–44).

Such STRONG WORDS!!!  Words that are meant for each and every one of us to hear and to act on and to be moved by.  

WOW ~ Love your enemies...that's not an easy thing to do.

Bless them that curse you...that's big!

Do good to them that hate you...my first thought is WHY?  Why would I want to do good to someone who hates me???

Pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you...that's asking an awful lot!

Perhaps we'd see more happiness if we were loving, blessing, doing good and praying for our enemies rather than seeking out an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.  That mentality only brings further heartache.

Do you have enemies?  
Have you ever viewed your spouse as an enemy?  
Is it possible to still love that spouse?  
Is it possible to love one who has cursed you, mistreated you, or expressed feelings of  hatred or contempt toward you?  
Is it worth your effort?  

If not your spouse, (hopefully not your spouse), do you have another whom fits in this description?  

Do you have another who NEEDS YOU to reach out and 
find something worth LOVING, 
worth BLESSING, 
worth DOING GOOD for, 
worth your PRAYERS???

Are you willing to Find Something?  If you try, I promise it will be there...it may take a little effort, it may even take a whole truckload of effort, but if you try hard enough, you will FIND SOMETHING worth loving, worth blessing, worth doing good for and worth your prayers.

People may be unlovable at times,
we all are...
none are perfect.
But even as imperfect as we may be, Not a one of us is disposable...
My hope is that we will all look at those around us with a bigger heart,
with more understanding eyes,
more forgiving thoughts,
and arms that are willing and ready to embrace and love those who most need us.