I've been challenged this year... challenged to really LOVE people.
It's so easy to love my friends and family (well, most of the time), but what about that really grouchy neighbour next door, or that seriously rude guy that works at my local supermarket... do I really need to love people like that?
For years I've loved people like that on the outside, but if I was completely honest, in my private little world I've not been so nice. I've told my friends and family about them, I've put on a sweet smile when they see me, but in my mind I've marked another big black cross next to the list of bad experiences by their name.
It may look like I love them, but in reality, I loathe them.
When Symon and I were married, we read out a beautiful scripture at the ceremony that we also had engraved inside our wedding bands... the classic love scripture, 1 Corinthians 13.
Verses 4-7 are particularly interesting...
"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance."
I dare you to read it again... slowly...
Such a beautifully romantic scripture to have read at our wedding.. but nearly 15 years later, a mortgage, 4 kids, old socks left on the floor and a tonne of life thrown our way, it seems to stand out a bit more than it did then... it's more of a challenge now, the type that makes you gulp every time you read it.
I want to walk more in real love this year, the way Jesus did when He died for us while we were still very much unlovable (Romans 5:8).
I invite you to join me on this journey... I dare you.
"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. "
1 Corinthians 13:13
28 comments
LOVED this post! Will share on Princess Warrior Lessons FB page.
ReplyDeleteI was nodding along with every word you wrote. I am challenged too.
Challenge accepted. Wait for me! I'm coming on the journey too. xo
I too love this post and am at times very challenged...save a seat for me :)
ReplyDeletewow, so true Kristy.
ReplyDeleteWe had the same reading at our wedding.. its the passage from the bible that speaks the most to me.
I will join you on your journey to really LOVE people. Its so important. Jesus' love for us was incredible...its very humbling.
Love all your heart pictures :-)
ReplyDeleteMe too! I wanna love more
ReplyDeleteGreat reminder that scripture...I read it slowly and have decided it needs to be on a canvas somewhere at my house. Thanks k
Amen!!!!
ReplyDeleteVery challenged by this - have allowed myself to get away with being truly nasty to people inside my head and chalking it up to preggie hormones.
Thanks PJ for giving me a much better perspective!
Awesome post! That exact scripture was read at a funeral I went to today and I was just thinking how challenging it is!!
ReplyDeleteYip. I get convicted of this on a daily basis, and yet I still keep doing it. I have hatey moments for certain ex wives, and I don't seem to have a problem dissing the crap out of them. I know that God loves her as much as He loves me.... but it's very hard to pray good things for people that are destroying themselves (and I care why....) (SEE!!??) and those around them. I get so so angry, and I feel like it's righteous anger..... but God has to be the one to do the judging. grrrr. I hate it when people are right about the love thing. the jolly love thing. :) Thank you K. I probably needed to hear that more than anyone right now.
ReplyDeleteew that was so 4th form of me. delete much?! lol
ReplyDeleteLove the photos in this post. So beautifully written.
ReplyDeleteFantastic (if a little scary) challenge. I've already been subconsciously trying a little harder these past few weeks...but the hardest part is to keep it up, its far too easy to fall back into the same old habits.
To love as he loved us..to see others through his eyes...what a privilege this actually is if we think about it. What a gift. To not have to put our broken, fallen human spin on how we see people.
If only we could see it for the gift it really is.
Do not delete Megs - so good to hear that I'm not the only one struggling with loving people. Phew.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, great photos and great challenge!
ReplyDeleteI love the images you've found to go with the scripture. Such powerful words and I nodded along reading them.
ReplyDeleteI really love Meghan's comment too.
Oops, thanks for the reminder that it's what's in our heart that really counts. That's my favorite scripture. I have to stop to remember it sometimes.
ReplyDeleteThis was such a great challenge. Sometimes I just want to give up on people but God wants us to continue loving them no matter what! What an example the Lord is for us...look how much He still loves us when we screw up!!! Thank you for this post..I needed it ♥
ReplyDeleteGreat words and verses to live by! This is the REAL kind of love and such a reminder that we should strive to love this way!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog.
Funnily enough my best friend. . . does one still have such things at my age. . . my closest and truest friend and I both had this at our weddings within a month of each other and with no discussion of choice other than me telling her she was reading that the week before. Slightly different variations, different bibles maybe but the same.
ReplyDeleteI'm only on the 2nd child but I know exactly what you mean. And hubbys job means i'm part of a community where there are people who really grate on you but you always smile sweetly and get on with it. You can't get away from the community and if you did you'd become part of another similar one!
Good luck with Love! xx
What an awesome challenge. What a scary challenge. To live a life of love is so choosing to live the Kre8ive Life. So a challenge I too need to accept. Count me in. I too will share my travels on this road to live the life of REAL LOVE on Kre8tive Life... By the way your images were fabulous as well!!
ReplyDeleteIts His grace that allows us to love like this too, don't you think? Not us, but He in us?
ReplyDeleteBecause I certainly can't love people the way Jesus did, I am too full of jealousy and anger and self-righteousness and pride and, and, and...!
Yukky, but true!
Definitely a challenging post, but a great reminder... I am going to join the journey too :)
This is a great post. I found your blog through another I was reading. I am now following you and look forward to learning more about you! Thanks for sharing your heart
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful scripture:) It is so hard to love the seemingly unlovable, but if we pray sincerely for it, the Lord will put that love into our hearts. What a blessing:) For me it's a never-ending struggle, which can only be overcome with divine intervention.
ReplyDeleteI love this and I'm SO there! We also had that bible verse at our wedding and yes, it is much more of challenge now that we have lived life together! How naive we were to pick SUCH a challenging verse, but at the same time how wise is He to have allowed us to! And about people...I'm very much someone that finds it hard to love people and even (and sometimes especially) people AT church! (how dare she say that!!) But I DO love that He so quickly forgives us for our imperfections and I'm so there with you in the hope of loving the unloveable this year!! x Stacey
ReplyDeletepsshhhhhhhhhh! Loving family is where I have a problem. You know, like in-laws that I "love", but really can't stand?
ReplyDeleteThen I look at how selflessly my Jesus loves me, even in my un-lovely state...
Thanks for the challenging reminder.
Beautiful post, always loved that scripture. It's definitely hard to keep up with loving the way we should, but it's so worth it.
ReplyDeleteI needed this. I have a person that a struggle to love, it kills me because I want to love this person, but they are not the lovable kind. I want to shine through but when I see them , I see their ugly inside and thats all.
ReplyDeleteI PRAY, I try and I hope I can.
I will take you up on that challenge
ReplyDeleteand join you
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lets speak life together sister
love and light beautiful hearted one!
Thanks for the Challenge! I love it.
ReplyDeleteWOW! What a challenge. I am always convicted when I read that scripture.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments... I love hearing from you!!!