Love Like JesusSample

Loving the Unlovable

According to church standards, I was pretty good. I “loved the sinner, hated the sin” until the day I had to put this cliché into practice. There it was, my life thrown into a tailspin over a deep betrayal. I had to make a choice: walk away from the relationship or love someone who could not have cared less about the pain that was being inflicted on me, with no remorse or resolution in sight.

I sought God hard for wisdom. What should I do? It was in this moment God revealed something to me—the heart of my betrayer. The saying “hurt people hurt people” was exactly what was happening. This person was in complete turmoil. Unfortunately, he didn’t know how to deal with it or where to take it, so it was taken to me.

A funny thing happens when we begin to focus on the heart of others rather than their behavior. We become compassionate—like Jesus. Suddenly, it's no longer about me and how I’ve been hurt. Instead, it becomes about ways to love them through their pain.

I believe this is what Jesus is saying in His powerful Sermon on the Mount. How easy it is to love people who are kind to us. Even non-believers do that. Chances are, they aren’t the ones who need love the most. Honestly, it’s probably the back-stabbing coworker, the lying spouse, the rebellious teenager, or the horrible waiter at lunch. Taking the journey of loving like Jesus is life-changing. It’s loving with eternity in mind. It’s a risk, but one worth taking!

Shannon Morrison
Life.Church South Oklahoma City