Love.

"We make loving people a lot more complicated than Jesus did". 

A quote from the new book from Bob Goff called "Everybody, Always". Jesus loved everyone and continues to love everyone. He tells us to love our enemies. He tells us if we do not have love, then we have NOTHING. I've always thought, 'well, it's a good thing I don't have any enemies. I'll just skip over that message'. But maybe He didn't just mean enemies {like Harry Potter and Voldemort or Darth Vader and Luke}, maybe he also meant people who are difficult, people we just really do not like, people that have different opinions than us. I'm just going to be honest, it's hard for me to love people. I mean, I truly love my group of friends, my family, and people who are pleasant to be around- but what about the people I try to avoid, people who are just plain rude, or negative, or have thoughts and opinions that I can never understand? I have to love them too? Ugh. I would rather just surround myself with horses and dogs, they're easier to understand. Why is it that I have more understanding for an animal than the very beings God created in His image? If you can answer that for me, I'll buy you dinner... 

 I mean just today our poor neighbor started his stupid, loud truck up right at the time I got William to sleep... guess what, William woke up crying and I wanted to go punch the poor neighbor right in the face. {Neighbor, if you're reading, I apologize for my thoughts}
Wow.... where did that anger come from. My first reaction to frustrating, not so ideal situations is anger. And then I have to bring myself down and realize punching my neighbor for starting his truck is totally irrational.
Here's what I think. I think we get in habits with our emotions, just like anything else. Personally, I get frustrated with people very easily {I think I just expect way too much out of the human race} And I believe I've tricked myself into believing that's just who I am and there's nothing I can do about it. I now believe that's just the {real} enemy {the one we don't have to love} talking. What if we could {overtime and with God's help} change our first reaction towards people in less than ideal situations? 

I believe this change starts with choosing love. Real love towards those unloveable people. For me it starts with not avoiding the difficult people or the people who think so, so very differently than me. And maybe not always voicing my differing opinion. It's not my job to make people realize if they are wrong- that's God's job. It is my job to love. Just show them love. And I have been doing it poorly.  

Side note: I also believe we can forgive and love some people from afar. God gives us the ability to forgive, but sometimes certain people are unsafe, poison to us. God can change them, but it doesn't always happen. But unforgiveness will eat us from the inside out. Quick recommendation to watch the movie "I Can Only Imagine" it brought me to tears two times in a row. So good.

Anyway... 

Personally, I'm tired of being angry or annoyed with people. Frustration and anger are very exhausting emotions. Empathy, understanding, remembering we're all just human, kindness, ability to forgive, love- they're all emotions and actions God can give us and help us show others. 

"We make loving people a lot more complicated than Jesus did". 

"If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains, BUT DO NOT HAVE LOVE, I AM NOTHING. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, BUT I DO NOT HAVE LOVE, I GAIN NOTHING. " 1 Corinthians 13: 2-3

"Have courage and be kind" 

This world needs love. Let it start with us. And I encourage you to read "Everybody Always"!