The Challenge

Something was revealed to me a while ago and it hit me like a ton of bricks! Yep. Right on my frontal lobe I got smacked with something that I had heard several times before but for some reason this time I heard it with fresh ears and a softer heart, I guess. It's funny how clear and loud the Lord's voice is when you stop bracing for impact and start bending in humility for real peace and joy. So here it is..The people you don't like. The people you distance yourself from. The people that are "hard to love" and down right annoying are more than likely going to Heaven soooo, that means you are going to have love them regardless-if you plan on going to Heaven yourself. If that's the case we might as well practice while we are down here, right? Think about that person you avoid... You literally cant stand them! Chances are, they hurt your feelings and you say you have forgiven them but every time you see them you internally sing Red Rover, Red Rover You Better NOT Bring Yo A** Over!! Now imagine going to Heaven, looking over and that same person is your "Halo distribution partner" for eternity! Yep..For all eternity you and that person are in charge handing out halos to new angels. What would you do? Ask God to place you in another department? LOL Good luck with that! When I started to think about it that way it not only made me giggle but it made me begin to dig deep into what love and forgiveness both, really are. We are called to love all people but sometimes we slap the love label on tolerance and avoidance. There is no off brand version for love. You either love people or you don't. You either forgive them or you don't and once we start getting real with ourselves about that, maybe we can stop being so doggone divided sheeesh! I know we have all heard this statement before but, you know you really love and forgive someone when you start praying real prayers for them to blessed, happy and prosperous. I'm not talking about those prayers where you request that the Lord sits them at that table Hes going to prepare for you in front of all your enemies either. Because real talk, some of you are going to be sitting at a round table with a bunch of mirrors in attendance since you are your worst enemy! Okuuurt! I'm talking about the stand in the gap, help me love them because YOU love them, may peace be their portion type of prayers. It can be done. As A reformed grudge holder I am telling you..IT CAN BE DONE! Realistically, I know the "love everybody" concept is nothing new to the Saints but for me, lets just say I'm new here! I was "today years old" when I started to peel back the real onion. If we don't wrestle against flesh and blood, is the problem that we have a ton of unlikable people or is the problem that we have a ton of people that don't know how to love?? I'm going to keep challenging myself to aggressively love more and not just tolerate.. A much more productive challenge than the one with the crates...