by Nick Miller

Do you truly love EVERYONE?

What a huge question! I love my family with my whole heart. My wife is the love of my life. Our son has captivated our hearts. Our family is close, constantly gathering. Our life is filled with wonderful friends that we love so dearly. My wife and I are blessed to have so many people around us that we get to walk with on this journey.

With that preface, I feel like my life is full of love. If I were being honest, my quick answer to the aforementioned question was “Yes.” I really do feel like I am an encouraging, compassionate, and generally selfless person. I tend to see the best in people. I tend to go out of my way to comfort others. I desire to be an “agent” of joy, lifting the spirits of everyone around me. I feel like people would say that I am a “loving person.” Personally, it is a joy to love those around me. The family and friends around me have enriched my life in so many ways.

But what would someone say who had never known me before? If someone just met me, would they conclude that I was in fact a loving person?

Just recently I had a wonderful conversation with someone who thinks, believes, and lives in a different way than I do. This person would tend to view someone like me as the “opposition” to their way of life. This person had preconceived notions about me, my beliefs, and my lifestyle based on previous interactions with people that are similar to me. Due to their previous interactions, they have concluded that people like me are not loving people. This conversation could have been an awkward, testing, and possibly offensive conversation, but we both approached the conversation with love in mind. After a few hours of chatting, we were able to openly communicate and find so much understanding from one another.

I was reminded by this overwhelming challenge that Jesus gives His followers. Jesus begins to reestablish what love truly is. Not only are we commanded to love those close to us, but we are called to love each and every person…even our “enemies.” Imagine you are with Jesus and His disciples as He is sharing this new perspective on love:

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” – Luke 6:27-28

It is one thing to “do good” to those who aren’t kind to me, but to “bless” and “pray” for them takes it to an entirely new level. When is the last time that I have prayed for or blessed those who have offended me, hurt me, inconvenienced me, or differed from me? This is such a challenging question for all of us. Our natural human response to those who are “enemies” is to avoid and or ignore them. We often want nothing to do with those who are not within our comfortable or natural relationships. However, Jesus challenges our capacity to love others. He doesn’t just want us to show love in our natural or easy relationships, but to walk with love when there is offense or opposition. Love is typically natural with your child or your mother, but love for someone who has hurt you is unnatural… but heavenly. Jesus continues on in His challenge to us:

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” – Luke 6:32-35

Contrary to our natural inclination, we are called to love those who are different than us. When we actually love EVERYONE, there is promise of great rewards. The crazy result that I have found from this conversation is that the reward is not for us, but for those around us. The reward is the healing that we can see and be a part of. The way to bring healing to those who are broken is simple… love!

What an incredible blessing to be a part of the healing process to everyone around us. The conversation that I had with a person who is entirely different than me brought about so much healing for them. They found forgiveness for the people who hurt them in the past. They were open to hearing a grace filled gospel, the news of a Savior who forgives sins. They had been beaten down, but in that moment it appeared as though a burden was lifted.

This story isn’t about me or my ability to converse with people. This is a moment for me personally that literally reinforced Jesus’ words! He is right, and I had the privilege to see His love work in healing ways. I don’t know if this person gave their heart to Christ, but I know their heart received healing after a simple conversation filled with love and kindness.

The way you show love to others may look different than me, but we are called to love. We have to orient our heart towards showing, speaking, and living unconditional love. Our heart for people could heal the hearts in people.

We have a big challenge ahead of us, to love EVERYONE. Your love could start the healing process for the broken around you.

photo: unsplash.com