You can have the same awesome impact on your world that Jesus had. Love breaks chains. Heals wounds. Brings people together. Love makes the impossible possible, because love never fails.
God has given us the privilege of urging everyone to come into his favor and be reconciled to him.You have been reconciled to God! And since you are born of His nature and love, it should be in you to take the message of reconciliation to those around you—to draw them close and love them.
(2 Cor. 5:18 TLB)
Some might say, "Well, I couldn't possibly get close to those people! They're living in gross sin!"
Well, don't beat them with your judgment stick or try to punish them for their sin. Jesus already took the punishment for them! When we're tempted to be harsh or critical, we should ask ourselves, "Is this how Jesus would speak to this person? Is this the tone of voice He would use?"
Let God show you how to be loving to those people who give you the hardest time. He'll give you the power to do something nice for them. They will probably be ugly again, but the power of love will enable you to rise above it and it won't matter.
What will matter, however, is that something eternal will have happened. The very love and presence of Almighty God will have come on the scene. And that love can do things that nothing else can do.
You can have the same awesome impact on your world that Jesus had. Love breaks chains. Heals wounds. Brings people together. Love makes the impossible possible, because love never fails. 1
When your path crosses that of someone who is difficult to love today, sow a seed of love. Water that seed tomorrow, then watch as your seed begins to grow.
1 Terri Copeland Pearsons, "An Ambassador of Love"; (accessed Sept. 2003).
by Lindsay Roberts
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers