Love Regardless

This past weekend, I went on the BCM Mid-Winter Retreat in Hendersonville. It was a great time of discipleship and really fun! The theme of the week was love, and one thing that really stuck out to me was said during our breakout session on "Loving Others." Someone brought up the passage in Matthew 5:43-47 where it talks about "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?" It is so easy to love the people that love us back, and so difficult to love those who we consider our enemies. Kelly said something brought me back to a conversation I had with Megan on a road trip to Robbinsville. Kelly said, "When someone's hurt you, it's impossible to love them without God." That road trip Megan mentioned how Jesus loved Judah even when he knew the ENTIRE time that Judas would betray him. She said it so wonderfully, that I am just going to put what she wrote here. I probably should have asked her, but for everyone reading this the lovely MEGAN HUNT wrote this and not I.

Make The Investment
Here is a tough question for you. Imagine that you are introduced to Suzy by Jennifer and as soon as Suzy walks away Jennifer informs you that you should invest in her, you should be friends with her and love her. Seems fair enough right!? Well what if the next thing Jennifer said was "I know Suzy will betray you." Would you still make the investment??

Honestly my human response is HECK NO. Thank you very much but I will opt out of a painful situation any day. However that is not the life God has called us to. His love is for everyone no matter what the outcome is. I know this seems crazy and your reaction is a lot of defenses. Like "I need to protect my heart" "I don't think I should invest when I know there is not a positive outcome" "friendships are suppose to be about give and take" "this will just exhaust me." All which seem to make sense but where is love in putting yourself before someone else!?

There is part of Jesus' story that has greatly changed my view on investments and on what my motive should be. You see Jesus in His all knowingness knew that Judas would betray Him and in my mind that is pretty much the ultimate betrayal. Yet Jesus' still invested in Judas. He was one of the twelve that were always with Him. He was one of the people He ate with. He shared His time, wisdom, love, grace, power and everything else with Judas. Remember that at EVERY moment Jesus knew where it would lead, but He still chose to love Judas. Now there is one other thing to address not only did Jesus invest but His investment in Judas looked no different then with the other twelve disciples. He treated them all the same and we know this because when Jesus said He would be betrayed by one of them they all looked around and wondered who it would possibly be. There was no room for speculation, they didn't look at each other and say "well you know He has always been distant or short with Judas." Jesus' heart went out to all of them equally all along the journey. Not only did He invest but His investment was pure in heart. He just loved Judas and that was the only thing He focused on.

John 13:21-25
After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, "I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me."
His disciples stared at one another, AT A LOSS TO KNOW WHICH ONE OF THEM HE MEANT. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, "Ask him which one he means." Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, "Lord, who is it?"

My challenge to you is that you would make investments. That you would love people as God loves them. Don't with hold love simply because you may not get anything in return. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" John 15:13. Lay down your life for a friend just as Jesus laid down His life for Judas. Love regardless of the outcome.

I pray that you would live for something bigger then yourself. I pray that you would live to reflect Him to others and give Him all the glory.
- Megan Hunt

It really sucks when someone has hurt you. It's easy to hold on to that bitterness towards them, to get defensive and justify your rudeness, but that is not what God has called us to. This has really challenged me to look at how I love those that have hurt me.

"Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no 'root of bitterness' springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;" - Hebrews 12:15-16