Love Like No Other

"Beloved let us love one another because love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God." 1 John 4:7




I'll never forget the births of my children. What a precious moment in time. It was an overwhelming love for these tiny little bundles of joy who'd been placed in our care. I'll never forget the tears of joy and amazement my husband and I both felt the first time we held each of them in our arms. We stared astoundingly at each perfectly formed feature. We felt their tiny little hearts beating and determined which features they had that resembled our own. How marvelous and incredible that moment was.



I look back over moments in time in life in much the same way we used to watch home movies with the video projector casting wonderful memories on the wall of our den in my childhood home. Memories of the loving arms of my parents wrapped around me as a child, my own wedded bliss, and thoughts of days gone by with my own children flood my mind. Walking down memory lane brings about emotions of bliss and comfort. I hold onto the memories with fondness.


It's undeniably easy to look back on fond memories of family and have loving thoughts and feelings. It comes naturally. But what about those who aren't friends and family? The ones the Word of God commands us to love? That kind of love doesn't come quite so naturally. The kind of love we're to extend to the man who is making obscene gestures to us in the middle of traffic, or the cashier who has had a long day and decides to take out her frustration on us, well, it doesn't come about quite so easily now does it? It's easy to love my husband who has such a love for me, but much more difficult to love my accusers. Why is is so difficult? It's difficult because it's entirely contrary to our human nature. We have a sin nature that longs to seek vengeance. We want a comeback to those who are rude to us. We don't want to treat them with loving kindness. That would mean we're surrendering, giving up, wouldn't it? Well, we are. We're surrendering our vengeful hearts over to God. We're trusting his mercy and sovereignty to handle everything on our own behalf.


Scripture commands us to love others because "Love is of God." What about the unlovely? Well, it's a choice to surrender ourselves in that manner. It involves coming out of our comfort zone. It involves smiling in the face of the cashier who has just been rude or apologizing to the person you accidentally cut off in traffic. It involves letting down our defenses and allowing God to take over. It's not fun. It makes us feel vulnerable and, at times, like we're allowing self defeat. However, it is the best way for others who don't know Jesus to see Him, to know His manner and what he represents. It shines the light in a dark world.





We can accomplish showing displays of love to the unlovely by being in a state of prayer. When moments of tension or discord arise, we can send a petition up to God to give us the words to say. He can intervene on our behalf if we'll give the situation over to Him. It requires a humility of heart and a desire to become more like Him. You see, if we begin each day by asking God to make our desire one which pleases Him and then go to Him in prayer throughout the day asking Him to guide us, loving the unlovely becomes possible. And what's more, we become pleasing in the sight of the Lord. Just as we're pleased when our children are getting along and display acts of kindness to one another, the Lord is pleased with us, His children.





If you know Jesus in a personal way, make a conscious effort to display love to the unlovely. By doing this, you make yourself a vessel which the Lord can use.







Heavenly Father, thank you for the unconditional love you have for me. Thank you for giving me the power to love the unlovely. Lord, it's a constant battle of my flesh. It doesn't come naturally to me. Sometimes it even feels like I'm giving up when I love and forgive others. I feel the need to redeem myself-- to set the record straight. Please give me an eternal perspective on it. Lord, when I come across someone who has said something ugly about me, been rude, treated me or others with disrespect, help me to remember that I'm not perfect. Help not to wallow in the ways in which I've fallen short but to use them to have a heart of understanding toward others. You forgave me when I certainly didn't deserve it. You cast your love on me when I was unlovely. You paid a debt you did not owe and I owed a debt I could not pay. Thank you for paying it on my behalf. Thank you for loving me. You are the Almighty. You ARE Love. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.