Some people are easier to love than others, but God told His followers that they must love all — even those who are selfish and difficult to deal with.
Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church acknowledges that this is not easy to do because love can be absolutely exhausting. "Don't let anyone fool you. The kind of love that really makes a difference in this world will zap everything out of you," he wrote on his website.
Warren said there are people who are very demanding and selfish, and who never reciprocate love. People who have to deal with them may constantly be tempted to throw in the towel and just say, "I'm done. No more."
But while this is a perfect natural and human response, Warren said it's not the standard of love God requires in the Bible. 1 Corinthians 13:7 says: "Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance."
To achieve this, Warren said Christians need to get refuelled. "To give the kind of persistent love that God wants you to give, you have to refuel your love tank. Look around at society, and you'll see it's littered with debris from relationships that have crashed and burned because people didn't refuel their love," he said.
"How do you refuel your love tank? You start by letting God love you," the pastor continued. "When you're worn out, tired, and can't imagine showing love to anyone else, remember that God loved you so much that he sent his Son to die for you. Now that's real fuel."
As for God's love, Warren said it's immeasurable because it "extends across the entire world and includes everyone He has created." He knows some people are apprehensive to accept His love because they feel they are unworthy, and therefore try hard to prove their self-worth before accepting His gift of salvation.
But Warren assured everyone that God never made a person that He didn't love, and all they need to do is "understand how much you matter to God."
