LOVE

I've been thinking a lot about LOVE lately.....Specifically how easy it is to love some people (Randy-he's a hunk a hunk of burning love) and how hard it is to love some people (I won't give a specific example here because that would not be very loving). 

Hmmmmm.....Why is it easy to love some people and hard to love others?  I don't know...Maybe because we agree more with some people then others, some people are nicer, some people are funner or funnier.....????  I don't really know why but I do know there are easy people to love and EGR people (that is Extra Grace Required people-randy taught me that too:)

Then it occurred to me perhaps I'm not easy for everyone to love.....GASP.....I may be someones EGR person!!!!  I'm sure I am!  I hope not Randy's!!!???!!

So....what does God say about love?  Well he says over and over and over that we are to love him and to love one another.  He didn't say love him and Christians, love him and people that agree with you, love him and people that deserve your love.  He actually says...Love him and love one another.

Hmmm.....does that mean sinners?  Well obviously YES we are ALL sinners.  What about the people who do REALLY bad stuff?  Well again YES....all of our sins are REALLY BAD STUFF.  They all were paid for the same way....with the perfect blood of Christ.  So does that mean me lying is the same him cheating or her killing their baby or __________________.  It doesn't mean it IS the same....but it did COST the same.

Hmmm.....Wow.  It's easy for me to slip into my holy huddle and think how nice and Christiany and loving I am (I KNOW it's sick....I'm just trying to keep it real) and others around me are and how sad, and lost, and sinful others are.....but really?  I mean seriously that is pretty pathetic and sinful in and of itself....

So....I'll end today with the words from

brad reynolds - anyway

I won't vouch for the music itself, but I love the lyrics. The second verse in particular, is one of the gutsiest verses I’ve ever seen in a Christian song.




He’s been sleeping on the sidewalk
Since the money went away
Can you love him anyway?
Really love him anyway?
He lost his mind but finds the time
To bum a dollar everyday
But my Jesus says to love him anyway

(chorus)
‘Cause love is the only evidence against us
That tells the world we’re guilty of a change
And there is not a one who lives among us
Who wasn’t lost somewhere along the way
But judgement turned to mercy
And mercy took our blame
When it all comes down to loving anyway

She did not want to be a mother
She still supports her right to choose
Can you love her anyway?
Really love her anyway?
She hates what you believe
And proudly shares her point of view
My Jesus says to love her anyway

So open up your heart and let them see
How it feels and what it really means


So drop that stone of condescension
And don’t forget to mention
That Jesus chose to love us anyway
Excuse me Mr. Christian
I sure hope you were listening
When Jesus said to love them anyway
‘Cause no matter who we are
Where we’ve been or how deep our scars
Jesus came to love us anyway
Hey there sister Christian
I sure hope you were listening
When Jesus said to love them anyway

ANYWAY......

I read on a blog (I think Carl Martin's but not sure....) and totally agree that people do not come to know Christ because we win an argument with them....BUT maybe just maybe we can love them to Christ.  Another thought that I have been challenged with this week is:

You don't believe what you say you do you believe what you do.  So how am I going to love people?  Really obnoxious, annoying, sinful, yucky people....people just like me.....hopefully a little more like Jesus and a little less like I have a tendency to.

Hope this wasn't to rambly......I've just been thinking about all this....and I've been challenged.

Learning to Love-

Kim