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'Christ in You...'
by Dale Krebbs
God loves us as we are. If He did not, we would all have been destroyed long ago.
He does this so that He can love us differently as we become what we should be. So must we do for others. God proves His love for all the world constantly, in that He gives to all good things without recriminations. But at the same time, He now calls upon all peoples everywhere to repent (Acts 17:16).
Until the time when God makes all things as they should be, we, as His children must work with what is now. Somehow, we must love others as they are now. No matter what they are, or how they are in our eyes, they are God's creation, and He allows them to be who they are.
Loving them that way is our first responsibility. This is another one of those hard sayings. This is the bridge we must cross in order to love our enemies, as Jesus commanded us to do. It is a bridge over many troubled waters.
This love must be transformed in our hearts into a greater responsibility. Now we must love them with a different love for what they could be. Actually, this is the only way they can become what they can be, which is the goal of Jesus Christ for all who will allow themselves to become more than who they are now. No matter who or what they may be in yours eyes, they have a spirit that is the real person which is something so deep that they or we cannot apprehend.
The only way to love the seemingly unlovable is by loving the spirit that is in them which is redeemable. Then we cross over into loving them for what and who they can be in Christ. Jesus requires that we love them as they are first - not the other way around. Perhaps it seems that it would be easier to love if He would let us love the other way around. As hard as it seems to believe, it would not be any easier to do. Just easier to think it would be easier. We would rather put the tough things off until later. But the later never comes. And we would not learn what love really means, and what it involves. This lesson about love can be taught and learned no other way.
We as human beings tend to attach conditions and requirements to what we think of as love. Conditions that agree with out own human feelings and judgments. The others, must meet our personal requirements; as they are will not do. They must become, in some way, like us. Consequently, most of the time we will not love. They cannot be like us. So, they will not be loved by us. Until they become loveable. According to us.
For you or me not to love someone because of what we feel they are is absurd, if you really think about it. No wonder so many do not experience love from others. or show love to others. The setup of requirements are next to impossible to meet. Then many simply become cynical about the whole issue. They leave it.
Therefore, we experience more and more lovelessness and affectionlessness, and kindlessness. And make no mistake - this state of affairs is increasing at in increasing rate.. Consider the increase in office tensions and conflicts, etc., in the commercial and business world. Such was almost unheard of a couple of generations ago. .And this is only the tip of a huge iceberg.
You or I probably will not change all of this. However, if Jesus Christ is living in you and me, we can each be that "committee of one" to show the love of Jesus as we have opportunity. We all have opportunity in some way. An American statesman once said; "Only God can save us now...but I'm willing to try".
You and I must be willing to try. We can make a difference. Perhaps your example, where you are, will result in the saving of someone from the destruction that God has patiently and lovingly delayed for so long. He will not delay indefinitely (2 Peter 3:7-9).
Will you love someone who is unlovable today?
"And you shall love the Lord your God out of and with your whole heart and out of and with all your soul (your life) and out of and with all your mind (with your faculty of thought and your moral understanding) and out of and with all your strength. This is the first and principal commandment. The second is like it and is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these." - Mark 12:30-31 (AMP)
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