Real Love

Recently, I heard a sermon in which the pastor said real love is dying for someone you'd rather kill. You sacrifice for them, giving up your desires, demands and dreams so that a detestable person has what they need. Instead of serving them, you wish they'd go away.

I'm still learning. I know that's what Christ said. Love your enemies (Luke 6.27-36). Do good to them, pray for them, bless them. Give more than they ask of you.

Carl Medearis writes that he once asked a sheik in Basra, Iraq if he knew where Jesus was. Carl and his friends had followed Jesus to Basra and wondered if the sheik had seen Him. The sheik replied, "Interesting question. No, we have not seen Jesus, but maybe the question should be, 'If He were here, what would He be doing?'" Thirty minutes later they had wrestled an answer that Jesus would be giving attention to the poor and the children and that perhaps ALL of them should be also.

Later in the conversation, after a little relationship had developed between them, Carl asked, "Do you know that if you were my enemy, that'd be a good thing for you?"

"How's that?"

"Well, Jesus says clearly to do three things with your enemies: love them, bless them and pray for them. He said that anyone can love their friend or brother, but loving an enemy seems to be a higher and more noble thing. So...you're not my enemy, but if you were, that'd be good since I'd basically be obliged by the One I follow to love, bless and pray for you."

"Well, then, you're enemy I'll be," and then with a big grin, the sheikh hugged Carl.

So here's a short list of the people I have to love, bless and pray for:

• people who think they know who God loves, likes and honors and they're in that group and you're not, and/or they're pretty vocal about who's not "in"
• people who think God only blesses the USA when it seems to me that if you asked the world what countries embody Christian values I doubt the USA would be higher on the list than Canada, Norway, Denmark and other countries that seem to take good care of their people
• people who are so self-centered, self-focused, selfish that their effect on others leaves lasting emotional, physical and spiritual damage, and they don't care
• people who think that God needs to answer their prayers about football or other sports results, parking spots, particular items being on sale, etc.
• people who assume that if you're Christian, then you MUST be Republican, or fiscally conservative, or member of certain fraternal organizations, or against all of THEM whoever them happen to be