Love like Jesus

Have you ever witnessed someone who struggles in life and you know it’s self inflicted or at least some of it is? How did you interact with them? Or did you? I’m ashamed to say that I have known people like this and I kept them at a distance. When Jesus was here on earth, that’s the people he went to. Like the Samaritan woman. She had been married five times and was with another man but not married. She lived in such shame that to get water from the well that everyone else did too, she would go in the heat of the day so nobody would be there. She was an outcast. Can you imagine her loneliness? Jesus went out of his way to meet with her. He loved her. Even though she felt shame, he was not ashamed of her. He changed her life! What about Matthew? He collected taxes from his people to give to the enemy and kept some for himself. Doesn’t sound like someone I’d hang out with. Jesus did. He went to his house and ate with him and others like him. They were hated! But not by Jesus! He changed Matthew forever! This is the deal. Jesus loved them no matter what or who they were. It didn’t matter what they “brought on themselves”. Who are we ashamed of? When I give deep thought to this, I think to myself, who do I know who’s sins are worse than mine? Who should be more ashamed than me? Jesus knew my sin but he came to me. He died and rose again for me. He did it for you. So who should we reject in our lives? If we claim to belong to Jesus, then we need to love like Jesus!!
Lord, help us to ditch our hypocrisy, and look long into how much we have been forgiven and set aside our pride and embrace those who you would embrace. To love who you love!!

I love you folks! Let’s love others together and show them Jesus!!