Loving Others

I met a couple of homeless guys in Decatur last Saturday.  They weren't very lovable.  They didn't say much so it's hard to know how to help them or if I can help them or if they want help.  The easy thing to do at this point would be to move on and look for someone who is easier to love or just go do whatever it is I want to do and do some loving on myself (hope you see the drips of sarcasm in the last part).  Instead, I'm going to try and find them again and talk to them again and to let them know that love exists in this world for them.  I don't know where they've been or what they've done but I know God loves them and I know how God wants me to feel about them. 


I was reminded of The Shack this past week and the great lesson I learned from that book that we are all God's children, all made in his image and all doing things we shouldn't always be doing.  No one is perfect.  Not those guys on the streets.  Not my boss.  Not the people around me.  Not my kids.  Certainly not me.  Yet we are all God's children, made in his image and under attack by a force wanting to pull us away from his perfect and unconditional love. 


I've experienced God's perfect and unconditional love and still I try to walk away at times telling myself God can't love a sinner like me.  Day-by-day, week-by-week, month-by-month I'm learning more about his love and believing that nothing I do can shake it so I tell myself more and more than he does love me.  He loves me when I mess up and he loves me when I live in his power and will and glory.  The incredible thing about being open to his love is that it makes me want to live in his vision for me and not my own - his love is a mighty, powerful force.  I just have to be open to it.  And ready to share it.


Grace and peace to you.