Me:  Prodigal, I don’t like the looks of him.

Prodigal:  Sometimes we are to love others even when we think we can’t.

Me:  Very true!

 

This is from Jerry White

 

A part of living under the lordship of Christ is allowing unlovable people into our lives, people who we would never choose on our own.  They enter our lives, often like a storm, disturbing our tranquility and testing our patience.

Paul gives us some guidelines for  dealing with these people:  “Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves.  Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to his edification.  Wherefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God”  (Romans 15:1-2,7).

The first requisite for loving the unlovable is to realize how Christ accepted you.  Where would you be today without Him?  What if His acceptance had been conditional?  Realize that right now Christ fully accepts you as you are, full of imperfections and problems, all of which He knows completely.

The second emerges from a basic decision to accept everyone God brings across your path.  In God’s plan there are no accidental meetings.  In each encounter God has a purpose for both the needy person and you.  You may be the one who can really help and counsel the person.

Determine to be an encouragement to everyone whom God brings across your path.  It costs little to say a kind word and to communicate a sense of support.  But like the girl who doesn’t want to encourage a suitor, we fear that kind words will lead to further demands.  Such is the risk.

We never know where a kindness will lead, because only God can see the potential of the man or woman in our presence.

 

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.

1 Peter 1:22

 

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org