No, I’m not talking about my favorite kind of summer shoe.

There is much in the Bible about loving and serving others.  Some are dealing with how we are treat everyone, those who are saved and those who are not…

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Others are referring to how believers within the body treat one another…

Luk 22:26 But ye [shall] not [be] so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

Gal 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

John 13:14  If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

Most of the time, when we think about loving, serving and using our gifts it is in regards to these two ways. First and foremost, we love on those we meet with regularly for biblical encouragement and edification.  If it is in a broader context, like loving our neighbor, it’s usually within a general concept of simply being polite - Maybe waving to our next door neighbor or chatting with the checkout lady.  If we’re really wanting to take a step, we invite them to church.

But what about the “forgotten” verses, where we are commanded to love those who do not love God and certainly do not love his people?

Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

Luk 6:27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
Luk 6:32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
Luk 6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and [to] the evil.

I believe this is where true Christianity becomes something real.  Loving, blessing, and doing good to those who don’t deserve it is making God’s grace a living, breathing reality. Because, in all truth, we aren’t deserving of love, blessing or anything good either.  None of us are.

In the example I gave of John 13, where Jesus washed the disciple’s feet, it is interesting to note that he washed all the disciple’s feet.  Including Judas’, the one who betrayed him.  It is a striking example of Jesus’ love for even his enemies, and he says, “For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”

Sometimes, those who are unwilling to love in this way pull out the old standby..

Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them].

Sounds convincing when it’s taken out of context like that.  The problem comes when one reads the surrounding verses.  The chapter is clearly referring to those who are claiming to be followers of Christ and yet continue on in blatant sin (sexual immorality and impurity, etc).   Paul is instructing the Ephesians to expose and perhaps through discussion prove to them their wrongdoing.

I wonder how big of an impact there would be if we as believers truly took to heart the entire biblical concept of love towards others?  What if we turned upside down the expected, worldly definition of love which simply entails serving those who we agree with, and instead showed just as much care for those who hated us?

What if we were known for doing what Jesus did… Loving the unlovely?

Tags: Christianity, religion, spirituality