When I read the article it was as if it were written by my husband a decade ago. The authors child is quoted in the article. It could have been our daughter talking about us. It touched me so much that I called Robin at work "You've got to read this" I told him. That evening when he got home I read it a loud. For a few seconds he was silent. Then he just smiled "Oh, wow".
How many times have you struggled with another human being? Every meeting is strained. Every encounter leads to an argument. Or maybe there's no arguing at all but rather silent confrontation. We cry out to God "Lord, I'm trying to honor you in my walk but Joe Blow is just impossible! Lord, help soften his heart". Ring a bell? Anyone? You can visualize my short little arm waving ferociously right now.
I've written before about my mother and her mirror theory. My mother would listen to me whine or complain in high school about someone. Then she would say "Lillibet, God puts people in our path who are difficult. I've found that those I don't like are usually mirroring something I don't like about myself". All these years later I think Jane Condrey was absolutely dead on.
Jesus Christ died on a cross for you and for me. He took all of our sins even though he was sinless. He served us. He was the ultimate sacrifice. He offered us everlasting life and forgiveness for our sins. We certainly don't deserve it...at all. He loves us unconditionally every second of every single day despite how sinful we are. He never leaves us or forsakes us. He has no agenda. There is no "Joe Blow I love you but..."
In the book of Luke chapter 6 verse 27 we are told "But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you". Jesus life is a perfect example of this. He loved those who hated him. He loves those who hate him today. Not only does he love them? If they accept him as their Lord and Savior he blesses them.
When was the last time you blessed someone who you just really don't care for? When was the last time you served someone you take for granted? I'm trying to be intentional about serving my husband. He's much better at it than I am. I don't deserve his grace much of the time. He's currently in the pouring rain, in the dark, building me a fence to hide our trashcans. He's a doer. I'm better at verbally telling him how great he is. Or cooking for him or keeping his day in order.
Twenty-six years later we are finally figuring out that serving one another, especially when we least feel like it, brings out Jesus in both of us. It's not perfect but it's pretty darn great.
"He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God"-Romans 4:25
