The Variable LifeSampel

“Loving People You Don’t Like” Many of us claiming allegiance to God neglect people deemed too different. Laziness, misguided priorities, and apathy plague the church. We’re as disconnected from each other as everyone else. 1 John 2:9-10 (NIV) explains why we can’t be right with God if we’re not loving people: “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.” Jesus spent lots of time with people far from God, connected deeply with some, and told them to connect with more people far from God. He offers us an escape from social selfishness to explore the freedom of shared life. We’re made for connection with God and others. Loving God is inextricably tied to loving people. Living in relationship with God means being connected to others he’s in a relationship with. Our connections differ depending on proximity, trust, and seasons of life, but love allows variations. It’s a demanding challenge to love people as imperfect as us. But knowing Jesus is knowing our place in God's family who loves each other. We cannot claim to belong to God's family if we don’t love God’s people (1 John 3:1, 1 John 4:19-21). This is retracing our steps from the separation sickness we’ve contracted. It’s practically impossible to love from a distance. God calls us out of dark, isolated corners to gather under his light, together with him and people. Good stories intersect. Engaging in connections, especially dissimilar ones, is part of what makes our stories great. Maybe authentic connections and community can grow from the smallest seeds to a forest if we see it’s God’s way to bring together what’s different. Maybe through these relationships our stories become about redemption, reconciliation, renewed life, and second chances. Burdens are carried, tears streamed, and joys celebrated together. People are too much work and too much reward. Shared experiences can show the Gospel changes us for the better: the good news of a God who cares enough about people far from him that he goes on a search and rescue mission to bring them together in the light. No longer alone, no longer unloved. This is how the lost get found.