Happy September readers. To kick off the first few days of September, we will be looking at 4 ways to honour God this upcoming school and work year.- Love the unlovable co-worker or classmate
Susie and Jill have been best friends since kindergarten. They are excited to be entering 7th Grade and a new school. As they walk down the hall at the Jr. High for the first time, they see the bully. The bully's real name is Mary-Jo. Nobody calls her that, though. Jill sees Mary Jo and shakes her head. Everyone who grew up with Mary-Jo knew that her parents were having problems. They were getting a divorce. In Sunday School, Susie's friend Rebecca prayed for Mary-Jo and her family. Susie could hardly believe her ears. Later when she asked Rebecca why she would pray for someone so mean, Rebecca said that God wanted her to love her enemies. Susie thought that that sounded kind of fishy, so she looked it up in her Bible. There it was in Luke 6:27. The next day when Susie saw Mary-Jo she saw her through God's eyes. She saw a lonely girl who had problems. Susie decided that Mary-Jo needed a loving friend. Offering a quick prayer, Susie headed over to Mary-Jo, to make a new friend.
This is a fictional story, but a real circumstance. This is an example of a loving Christian loving the unlovable. Susie saw a whole different person when she decided to love Mary-Jo. Loving does not mean you have to become BFF's with them, though. You can love them without spending every waking minute with them. God wants us to pray for people we don't like. It may take a while, but with God's grace and power, you will learn to love the unlovable, if you try.
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you
-Matthew 5:44
-Matthew 5:44