"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34-35)
We can never deny the fact that there are some people we just can't see ourselves making peace with. One person might say "I love everybody," but when somebody hurts or disappoints that person, he might have to make an exception.
Yes, our love for others sometimes diminishes. Some of us don't even have love for others to begin with.
However, the Lord Jesus, in all His love and goodness, commanded all who follow Him to "love one another." Loving one another is what we Christians should be doing. After all, if we are following Him who loved us even if we are sinners, we should also learn to love those who He loved.
But how can I love the unlovable?
Some of us just can't find the strength and will to do what Jesus said. Some of us will say, "God, I cannot love that person!"
If you're like this but want to be able to love others for Jesus, I have some encouraging words for you. Here are some pointers to help you love people you find hard to love.
1. Receive His love for you
This is plain truth: You cannot give what you don't have. The best way for us to be able to love others is when we are loved. Jesus said that we should love one another as He has loved us. His love is the very model and source that we will rely on. Receive His love daily. Enjoy His loving kindness. It's the only way for us to gain the love with which we will love others, too.
2. Obey Jesus to show your love for Him
If we're true-blue Christ-followers, we should be giving our best shot at following what He said and modeled. If we don't obey what Jesus said, it's plain disobedience. If we obey what He said, we prove that we love Him. He said in John 14:15, "If you love Me, keep My commandments."
3. Recognise that love is what we were made for
We all need to realise that as Christians, we were made for love: to love God above all and to love our neighbors as ourselves (see Matthew 22:37-40). If we don't love God and the people that He loves (read John 3:16), then what are we living for? We were all made for love, and we should live it.
