Love the Unlovable

by Pastor Ken

He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and doesn’t know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

1 John 2:10-11

The word John chooses here is the Greek word ‘agape’, which depicts God’s love—love given freely and generously, regardless of whether or not it is deserved.

It is easy to love someone that is easy to love and who loves you back. But loving those who make it difficult to see their loveliness isn’t so easy is it? That’s where the agape love comes in—and that’s the kind of love God has an unending supply of.

God’s agape was demonstrated on the cross when He sacrificed His son, Jesus. It was here that He showed us what it means to love people sacrificially, unselfishly, and in humility.

So when He says, “love one another as I love you” (John 13:34), He is telling us to agape sacrificially, unselfishly, and in humility. A great example of this can be seen in the following story.

A marriage counselor told a woman who came to him complaining about her husband to behave as if she really loved her husband. He told her to praise him for the things he did, to tell him how much he meant to her, to be kind, considerate, and generous whenever possible. Then, when she’d completely convinced him of her love, she could follow through on her plans to file for divorce. With revenge in her eyes she said, “That’s great, I’ll do it.”

And so she did. But guess what happened. The more the wife expressed her love for her husband, the more she started to actually love him and he started to love her back in the same ways. Two months later divorce was the farthest thing from her mind.

Try it! Love others the way Jesus loves you and just watch and experience the amazing changes that will take place.

Prayer: God, help me to love others as Jesus did. In the name of Jesus, I pray, amen.