Loving People When It's Not So Easy

1 John

We have talked about loving people before, people who are hard to love, people who walk all over your gifts, people who are ungrateful, people who are difficult to love.  Something we talked about yesterday took that a step further, into a relm I am not sure we have discussed before.  Not only is it difficult to love the unlovely but it is also difficult to figure out the best way to love people you truly care about and sometimes loving people the right way is hard to do.

Sometimes love says, "no!"  Sometimes love puts people on the street.  Sometimes love must quit enabling others, sometimes love makes others responsible for their own decisions.  I have heard it before, "If you really loved me, you let me have ________________."  (you fill in the blank)  No, sometimes love makes others earn it.  Sometimes love doesn't let people off easy.

Jesus loved the religious leaders of his day by calling them a "brood of vipers."  In the hope they see their shortcomings.  Paul oppossed Peter to his face, to show Peter he was doing the wrong thing (Galatians 2:11).  Love stands for what is right, whether it is popular or not.  Love is not a doormat.

The most difficult part of all of this, is figuring out the best and most wise way to love people.  As I pray for all of you this week, my prayer will be for wisdom to truly love others in the most productive way!