"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves."
To work towards adding this into one's character is a noble goal—no doubt this is a difficult endeavor, but worthy of all our effort. I thought about how I could love more sincerely, abhor all evil, hold on to what is good, devote myself to others with a strong and deep love, and how I could honor and lift up those around me. I came up with a few ideas and felt convicted to step my game up with my classmates, the Intervarsity chapter at my school, with my family, with strangers, and with those at my church. I started to resolve to devote myself to these people. But for some reason, I just could not find it in myself to share this crazy, sincere, deep love with my dad.
I don't mean to be prideful or anything, but I could totally see myself deeply and sincerely devoting myself to loving anyone...but my dad. Maybe it was because of the realization that he is not the perfect God-fearing and following father and leader I long for. Maybe it was the bitterness I had layered over my heart over the years of hurt. Maybe it was because I knew that love might not be reciprocated. Maybe it was just because all these things made it hard to love my father.
Despite what I know I should do, that doesn't make it easier. I heard once that the words of the Bible don't become real until you choose to follow through and obey them. Oh is this true!!
That night, I decided to Love my dad... with that same Love that Jesus had for us all on the cross... that insane love that CHOSE to forgive and stand up for those who spit in His face and beat on Him, that CHOSE to stand in the way of the Father's wrath and take it on our behalf. Not because we would or even could reciprocate that Love, but just...because. It is that same Love that Christ calls us to show to others. He said that "it is by this all men will know you are my disciples, if you Love one another" (John 13:35).
Not this is not to say that it will be also crazy hard to follow through with this kind of Love, but that's part of why I am writing this blog—to keep myself accountable to this. I know this is not going to be an easy endeavor, but I do hope that each of you begin to consider loving those who have hurt you the most in the same way. After all, what would it add to a person's character if they are bitter and resentful towards those who have hurt them? But how much would it add to someone's character if they genuinely Love those who hate them?
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