day 29: love one another

"dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."

1 john 4:11

how many times do you think love is mentioned in the Bible? i don't know the answer, but i don't think i could count it on my two hands. part of me doesn't like the word "ought" that may of the bible translations use for this verse. to me "ought" sounds more like a suggestion that a command. it is like saying "we also should love one another." well yes, of course we should. but i think that Jesus was more than merely suggesting this to those he taught. i think Jesus commands, even demands, love of us.

let me make another confession: i am really good at loving those who love me (at least i think so, correct me if i am wrong). i would dare to say that i love to love others. good, right? Jesus commands that i love others. did you catch the end of my confession? i am good at loving THOSE WHO LOVE ME. i don't think that is what Jesus commanded.

i have been a high school youth group leader for four years (well, this is my fourth year). i have had people tell me that i have a gift for youth ministry and some even assume that i could carry this into teaching. maybe. they observe and see students hugging me and talking to me and joking around with me, which certainly does happen. they see the way that i love them and spend time with them. they see that they often trust me with their problems and struggles. but what they don't see is what this reveals about me and my heart and my inclination to love those who love me. loving those who love me is easy. it makes me feel good; it makes them feel good.

what about the others? i am not just talking about youth group either but the bigger picture. i would not go so far as to say that i do not love them, cause i genuinely do. but do i do as good of a job showing it? do i make them feel loved? do i demonstrate the love of God to them as well?

then there are the people in my life that i have a hard time loving. maybe they hurt me and even if i have forgiven them it is hard for me to love them. maybe they simply don't pay attention to me or ignore me or resist every attempt i make to connect to them. david nasser mentions the bullies, the competitors, the loners and the 'too cool' as people who may be hard to love.

matthew resports one of Jesus' teachings on love. he overturns what the people had grown up in: love your neighhbor and hate your enemy. now he commands: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. then he adds, "for if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? do not even the tax collectors do the same?" (matthew 5:46) ouch. i am no better than a tax collector. i am no better than a non-Christian who simply those that love them.

to love others is not merely a suggestion. to love those who love you is not enough. if God lived by that standard we would all be in trouble. if He only loved me when i love Him, i wouldn't be very loved. but He does love me, no matter what.

Lord, fill me with the Holy Spirit and work in my heart so that i may grow to love as You love - to love others regardless of whether or not they love me. thank you for loving me even when i don't love in return.