THE BREAD BASKET

No doubt about it, there are some people who are just very difficult to love! Try as you might, ugly feelings well up within you every time you think about them, or when you see them.

-- You've been left sitting high and dry in a relationship;
-- You've disagreed over biblical interpretation;
-- You've been unduly criticized by someone with a condemning spirit;
-- You've been cut out of the will by a conniving sibling;
-- Your name and reputation have been smeared by a malicious gossip;
-- You've been hurt by someone who got the promotion that rightfully belonged to you;
-- You're struggling as to why you were given up for adoption.

And the list goes on. Simply put, there isn't much on which you see eye to eye with that other person, and he or she simply rubs you the wrong way! Actually the Bible calls us to LOVE such people. "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the dark ness," writes John (1 John 2:9/NIV). He continues: "Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble, But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the dark ness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him" (verses 10-11).

Does this scripture mean that when you're struggling to love someone, you aren't a Christian, or that you're not saved? Actually, these verses aren't talking about disliking a disagreeable Christian brother or sister. Rather, John's words focus on the ATTITUDE that causes us to ignore, despise, or treat them as enemies. We can choose to be concerned about people's well-being and treat them with respect, whether or not we FEEL affection toward them.

There will ALWAYS be people with whom we don't see eye to eye, but we should still CHOOSE to love them, because those who deserve love the LEAST are usually the ones who need it the MOST!