Loving the unlovable

In the past several days I've had a few conversations with people that have felt unloved by the very people that are supposed to love them the most. We all know people like this; it may be that we are a person that has experienced the same thing.

There are kids that have been abandoned by parents, spouses that have been left for other mates, LGBTQ persons that have been abandoned by family and friends. And perhaps the worst of all -- people that have been judged and left behind by the church and the friends that claim to follow Jesus.

Perhaps it is the judgment of the church (or at least some of its leaders) that has brought me to the place of being more sensitive to others that have experienced such judgment and shunning.
Perhaps it is exposure to other followers of Jesus that truly practice love that helps me see the need to love and to really hear the command of Jesus to love.

Jesus makes it pretty simple -- Love God. Love people.

That's not -- Love the people that are like you.
And it's not -- Love the  people you like.
It's not -- Love some people.
It's love your neighbors and your enemies. (I know -- sometimes they're the same people!)

And it's not saying that you love them. I've been told "I love you" by the same people that feel fit to judge and shun me. If you want people to know they are loved --  show them love!
Hurting people need to feel loved.

Jesus commands us to love others and I really believe that God is counting on us to show his love. The metaphors of the Bible aren't always the best for demonstrating God's love, so he asks us to be his love.
What I mean is --

The Bible often calls God our father. If your experience with a father is of one that has abandoned you our abused you, why would you want a relationship with a father as powerful as God -- especially when the people that follow him are just as abusive as your father was?

The Bible portrays Jesus as the groom and the Church as his bride. If you have been cheated on by a spouse or abandoned by a spouse or beaten by a spouse, would you want to be in another spousal relationship with someone that says he loves you but his followers don't show love?

It is so sad to see so many people that have abandoned pursuing God because of the hateful judgment and condemnation from people that claim to be following Him and say they are speaking for Him.
When you hear hate -- it is not from God.
When you see hate -- it is not from God.
When you feel hate -- it is not from God.

And if you really believe that there are people that are unlovable -- then you need to check on your relationship with God. In the end, the only one that is truly unlovable is me -- and God has chosen to love me anyway!

Show love.

John <><