Loving the Unlovable

Loving the unlovely is HARD!! Can I get a witness?

As a christian woman and a pastors wife I am constantly forced to "love the unlovely".  I don't think this is any easier for the PW as it is for anybody else.  It's not fun, I don't enjoy it and it doesn't come easy!

Well now that I got that off my chest, onto the more edifying conversation...

There have been many occasions where God has placed me in a situation where I needed to love the unlovely.  A reoccurring thought has been that 'God brought that person into my life for me!'  Often when you meet those "unlovely" people, the first thoughts that comes to mind are God change them, God deal with them, God...fill in the blank.  But seldom do we look at it as an opportunity for us to grow. Or look at it as an opportunity for us to become more Christ-like, more forgiving, patient, kind...

We put all the emphasis on their need for change and very little emphasis on our petty and shallow hearts.  Our lack of love for the unlovely is a mirror of how 'unlovely" WE really are.  This thought really gripped my heart.  I think sometimes I have become a Pharisee or legalist in my christian walk...where has grace gone?  Have we forgotten that "no one is righteous no not one" or that "all our righteousness is but filthy rags in Gods sight"...humbling that God looks at my so called "good works or righteousness" like he does my dirty pads.  Sadly as vulgar as that sounds, that's what the bible was referring to when it said "dirty rags".

Mmmhhh...so basically let me get this straight...I am no better that Ms. Unlovely.  I struggle to, I have issues just like she does.  Who am I to judge?  Seems the  antidote to dealing with unlovely people is a cold hard look into the word of God that is a mirror to show us how "unlovely" we really are.  Once I see myself for all my imperfections, truthfully I just can't help but get on my knees and pray for God to change ME.  Forget everyone else, I have issues I need to deal with.

So have you looked in the mirror today?

Don't let your pretty make up and trendy clothes fool you!