Love Them Anyway
Sometimes when I think about sports teams, it makes me think about our families and friends. There are times when someone on the team or in our family can’t seem to do anything right. They’re making one penalty after another and can’t get it together. It’s easy to get upset and tell them how bad they are. So what is our attitude when someone we love seems to never be able to get their life right? The Scripture says, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24). When you don’t know what to do, God says to think about how you can spur them on toward love. That means you don’t give up on them and think they can’t change. You dwell on what might help them. If you can spur someone on in God’s love, good deeds will follow. If you can strengthen them in God’s love, their life will become better. Love is powerful! God is saying, “Love them anyway.”
God has freely given us His grace, forgiving and covering all our failures and mistakes. No matter how many times we fail and mess up, God never gives up on us. His amazing love never runs out. To know the love of God is such a beautiful, secure position to be in. But God hasn’t poured His love into our lives just so we can enjoy it. The apostle John says, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11). The same unfailing love that He has given us is for our spouse and children, our relatives and friends, our neighbors and coworkers. He blesses us so that we can spread the blessing. It’s called being “the hands and feet of Jesus.”
God has empowered each of us through His love, grace, and mercy to set the tone of love for our loved ones. When you’re facing difficult situations, follow Jesus’ words: “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you” (Matthew 7:12). He was saying, “Give to them what you would want.” Rather than tell them how they’ve failed, let them know, “If you get it wrong, it’s not going to change my love for you. I will never stop loving you. I’m here for you.” We’re going to celebrate in the good times, and we’re going to keep that winning spirit in the difficult times. I believe that if we will maintain that consistent tone, we’re going to have a great life not only for ourselves but for our families.
God has freely given us His grace, forgiving and covering all our failures and mistakes. No matter how many times we fail and mess up, God never gives up on us. His amazing love never runs out. To know the love of God is such a beautiful, secure position to be in. But God hasn’t poured His love into our lives just so we can enjoy it. The apostle John says, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11). The same unfailing love that He has given us is for our spouse and children, our relatives and friends, our neighbors and coworkers. He blesses us so that we can spread the blessing. It’s called being “the hands and feet of Jesus.”
God has empowered each of us through His love, grace, and mercy to set the tone of love for our loved ones. When you’re facing difficult situations, follow Jesus’ words: “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you” (Matthew 7:12). He was saying, “Give to them what you would want.” Rather than tell them how they’ve failed, let them know, “If you get it wrong, it’s not going to change my love for you. I will never stop loving you. I’m here for you.” We’re going to celebrate in the good times, and we’re going to keep that winning spirit in the difficult times. I believe that if we will maintain that consistent tone, we’re going to have a great life not only for ourselves but for our families.