Imagine....

   Imagine if you were able to place immeasurable value on every person that you encountered today.  Imagine what that might feel and look like.  Imagine yourself not only loving your family, but loving your neighbor.  Now, imagine loving your enemy. 

   I can’t speak for you, but my imagination was working pretty well for those suggestions except for the 1st line and the last line. I find it hard to imagine placing immeasurable value on every person in my life. Do you mean the guy who cut me off in traffic today? Yes I do. Do you mean the person who was pretty rude to me today in the restaurant? Yep, I mean him too. Is that first suggestion even possible? Yes, I believe it is. Let’s examine this a little closer.

   I am going to start with a scripture lesson to help us:

1 John Chapter 4⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

   I realize this scripture was written a long time ago.  I don’t think the period of time that has elapsed since this was written diminishes the value or relevance in our lives today.  We are called to love, to love one another and loves comes from God.  For today, let’s focus on verses 10 and 11:  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
   God sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Atoning means to make amends, to reconcile.  We have been amended or reconciled for our sins through the sacrifice God made through His Son.  Since God so loved us, we ought to love one another.  That sort of sums it up, doesn’t it?  We’re to love one another.  We know what ought means, don’t we?  Let’s discuss how we might change our perspectives to make this more doable.  I don’t know about you, but I need help with this.  The wisdom is here, but we need help applying the wisdom to ourselves and our daily lives.
   I am going to make a bold statement that I believe might give us a way to “do” this.  You see, I want to do what God made me to do.  I believe most of us do.  We’re just not so sure how to do His will.  Every person that you and I lay eyes on today is someone that God placed such a great value on, that He sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice.  He loves each one of us so much that He went to incredible lengths to be sure we know.  Then He tells us in simple terms, we ALSO ought to love one another.
   We need help to do what God asks us to do.  If we will change the way we look at things, the things we look at will change.  If we change the way we look at things, we will change as well.  I am challenging myself to look at every person I encounter today as someone God loves so much He gave His son on his or her behalf. I am asking you to consider joining me.  Together, we have a much better chance to live a different life.  I am also asking you to pray for me and to pray for one another that we might do this together.
   If one of my most trusted friends or family members asked me to look at someone today in another light, another perspective, I would do my dead-level best to accommodate him or her.  If my own earthly Father was able to speak to me from heaven, I would do everything in my power to accommodate his request. God has spoken to you and me.  He came to earth in the form of His Son and asked us to love one another.  He asked us to love all of his children regardless of race, regardless of political beliefs, and He even asked us to love our enemies.  Remember when Jesus was close to death on His cross?   Among His words were these: “Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.”  Those words echo in my mind from time to time.  When I struggle to forgive someone they come alive again inside of me and I ask Jesus to help ME have the strength to forgive.  Our Lord and Savior not only loved His disciples, He loved those who persecuted Him.  He has asked us to love everyone in our lives.  As hard as it is for me, I want to do what He asks.
   I realize I fail to resemble Jesus in so many ways.  I realize I fail to live my life with a purity and goodness that always honors God.  Those failures are not going to be excuses for me to stay as I am.  I am going to keep my eyes on Him and keep striving to be a better man, a better Husband, a better Father, a better son, a better brother, and a better neighbor.  I believe I can love not only my family and those who love me, I can love those who I encounter today.   I can love my enemies, but I can only do it with His help.  …and yours.  Let’s pull together for one another. 
    Remember these words: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” Amen.