As believers, how do we show love to the "unlovable"?

By this I mean, those not deserving of it. Probably those that hurt you, hate you or persecute you; considering that the scriptures instructs us to love all men.

Tgirl4real: As believers, how do we show love to the unlovable?

By this I mean, those not deserving of it. Probably those that hurt you, hate you or persecute you; considering that the scriptures instructs us to love all men.

Tough question.

-I think first we have to recognize that we are human and allow ourselves to have a human reaction and not feel 'guilty' about it - or else what would one do with Psalm 109?

-Secondly, I'd say give it time. You may not right away be able to forgive, get along with or 'love' the person, but with time, grace and the help of the Holy Spirit it will be done.

-Thirdly, try (easier said than done) to leave it in the hands of God. Pray for a short memory and for God to teach you how to let go.

-Fourth, remind yourself and you too must have hurt or harmed someone else at some other time. Think about how you would like them to treat you and then use that as a template to treat others.

-Lastly, remember you're only human and not perfect and will make mistakes. Allow for those mistakes, and make sure to correct them when you become aware.

God in His good grace will lead us all in His good and perfect will. Amen.

Hello sis, thanks for dropping by.

Will brb.

tagging someone unloveable doesnt mean you yourself are lovable.

that attitude could be a factor in what gave rise to your thread.

mark 12

28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

There is no commandment greater than these.”

luke 10

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.

31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.

32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.

34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.

35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

no way around it, unless you're not a christian.

if Jesus didnt consider your personality before offering you his unconditional love, then why are you tagging others with what was forgiven in your case.






matt 18

23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him.

25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’

27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.

31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.

33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’

34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

I used to be very talkative and troublesome back in my teens and adolescent age. Then, I was always being beaten up for what I said and how I said what I said, it made me hate people -those who fought me upon they knew I didnt have any 'power' to fight back. I kept malice a lot then until Christ saved me and I was compelled to love those who i'd kept malice with for many months and years too.
Today, people hurt me like regularly but and its amazing how that I still love and appreciate them.
What I do is- No matter how angry I am, no matter how i've been hurt, I dont nurse it. I let it go. The moment we allow the pains grow within our hearts, it becomes near impossible to forgive and love sincerely.

tpia1: tagging someone unloveable doesnt mean you yourself are lovable.

that attitude could be a factor in what gave rise to your thread.

Egbami lo wo Tpia.

So, this is the thread u were referring to? Lol

It's simply a topic of discourse my dear. If u need it broken down...it means how do you show love to an unbeliever esp when the person is nasty.

@ Topic

Someone asked me that question and this is the response I gave:

Basically, we love the unlovable by sharing the good news with them.

Ultimately, what they need is salvation. When I say share the good news, I don't mean go about preaching at them (if u get the opportunity or the situation demands, pls do) or judging/condemning them (we all are saved by grace and we are not better than them).

How do we show love to them:

Matthew 5:16
King James Version (KJV)
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

 
By our lovable character, our Christian virtue, our unwavering faith, we show love to the unlovable. Scriptures says we should love and pray for those who persecute us. This singular act is unfathomable to the unsaved mind. How can I do good/love/pray for someone who hates me? That is the amazing grace we enjoy in Christ Jesus.

This is more like a practical approach dealing with the hurt that comes from such.

JeSoul: Tough question.

-I think first we have to recognize that we are human and allow ourselves to have a human reaction and not feel 'guilty' about it - or else what would one do with Psalm 109?

-Secondly, I'd say give it time. You may not right away be able to forgive, get along with or 'love' the person, but with time, grace and the help of the Holy Spirit it will be done.

-Thirdly, try (easier said than done) to leave it in the hands of God. Pray for a short memory and for God to teach you how to let go.

-Fourth, remind yourself and you too must have hurt or harmed someone else at some other time. Think about how you would like them to treat you and then use that as a template to treat others.

-Lastly, remember you're only human and not perfect and will make mistakes. Allow for those mistakes, and make sure to correct them when you become aware.

God in His good grace will lead us all in His good and perfect will. Amen.

Odunnu:
What I do is- No matter how angry I am, no matter how i've been hurt, I dont nurse it. I let it go. The moment we allow the pains grow within our hearts, it becomes near impossible to forgive and love sincerely.

Also, as Tpia tried pointing out, we should bear in mind that Christ loved us even when we were unlovable.

tpia1: no way around it, unless you're not a christian.

if Jesus didnt consider your personality before offering you his unconditional love, then why are you tagging others with what was forgiven in your case.



matt 18

Jesus is giving you unconditional love?

But there is a condition under which he will help throw you in hell fire to suffer because of your personality?

Jeez! I don't want that kind of unconditional love.

Odunnu: I used to be very talkative and troublesome back in my teens and adolescent age. Then, I was always being beaten up for what I said and how I said what I said, it made me hate people -those who fought me upon they knew I didnt have any 'power' to fight back. I kept malice a lot then until Christ saved me and I was compelled to love those who i'd kept malice with for many months and years too.
Today, people hurt me like regularly but and its amazing how that I still love and appreciate them.
What I do is- No matter how angry I am, no matter how I've been hurt, I dont nurse it. I let it go. The moment we allow the pains grow within our hearts, it becomes near impossible to forgive and love sincerely.

I had always not being the type to hold grudges or keep malice. However, what I struggle with is letting go when the person hasn't yet apologised for the wrong done to me.

For example, when people bear false witness against me or slander me, it hurts me to my bones. If I have the opportunity to present my case I usually do, if not I don't care what people think. And I leave the offender to God. But, it does hurt me deeply.

Sagamite:

Jesus is giving you unconditional love?

But there is a condition under which he will help throw you in hell fire to suffer because of your personality?

Jeez! I don't want that kind of unconditional love.

Personality is different from doing right or wrong IMO

Tgirl4real:

Personality is different from doing right or wrong IMO

Nah, doing right or wrong is part of personality.

Tgirl4real:

I had always not being the type to hold grudges or keep malice. However, what I struggle with is letting go when the person hasn't yet apologised for the wrong done to me.

For example, when people bear false witness against me or slander me, it hurts me to my bones. If I have the opportunity to present my case I usually do, if not I don't care what people think. And I leave the offender to God. But, it does hurt me deeply.

When a person refuses to apologise it is one of the following:

- They are too proud/have a huge ego and do not see you as powerful enough to make them apologise to you.

- They do not see what they have done as wrong and, hence, it worthy of apology.

- To them, it is a mind game and they must win you in.

When someone is slandering you and bearing false witness, I suspect it is the third one. To them, it is a battle of arguments and they are using their arsenal. They want to win and you lose.

Sagamite:

Nah, doing right or wrong is part of personality.



When a person refused to apologise it is one of the following:

- They are too proud/have a huge ego and do not see you as powerful enough to make them apologise to you.

- They do not see what they have done as wrong and, hence, it worthy of apology.

- To them, it is a mind game and they must win you in.

When someone is slandering you and bearing false witness, I suspect it is the third one. To them, it is a battle of arguments and they are using their arsenal. They want to win and you lose.

Well, in such situations, I rather take a walk than indulge in mindless arguments. But not after I have presented my case. I prefer people to get to know me and judge for themselves.

From The Summons http://www.spiritandsong.com/compositions/30338

3. Will you let the blinded see
If I but call your name?
Will you set the pris’ners free
And never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean,
And do such as this unseen,
And admit to what I mean
In you and you in me?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8lOfMjtxdE

Sagamite:

Jesus is giving you unconditional love?

But there is a condition under which he will help throw you in hell fire to suffer because of your personality?

Jeez! I don't want that kind of unconditional love.

your actions are what determine your future.

Jesus worked with any kind of personality.

tpia1:


your actions are what determine your future.

Jesus worked with any kind of personality.

Have you checked the OP's stated attributes of being unloveable?

"people that have hurt them".

So it is the unloveable's actions that determine how loveable they are, so the OP is just copying Jesus' love.

i already pointed out the error/s in her statement.

Sagamite:

Have you checked the OP's stated attributes of being unloveable?

"people that have hurt them".

So it is the unloveable's actions that determine how loveable they are, so the OP is just copying Jesus' love.

How do u mean?

Tgirl4real:

How do u mean?

Jesus loves all personalities but will throw sinners in Hell fire for their actions.

OP loves all personalities but can't love unloveable because of their actions.

Sagamite:

Jesus loves all personalities but will throw sinners in Hell fire for their actions.

OP loves all personalities but can't love unloveable because of their actions.

An epistle can be written on the first statement, but I will leave that.

The second statement, there is nothing that suggests I can't love the unlovable. If I love all personalities, which personality is the "unlovable" then?

Loving someone doesn't mean you can't take offence when the person hurts you. It might not be easy depending on the degree of hurt, which is pretty normal. But eventually, you are expected to forgive and move on.

i take them to KFC

It takes God

Are we talking from a religious point of view or what? Cos as far as I'm concerned,
I don't have any business trying to love someone who hates me, if you hate me and I notice it, I'll stay as far away from you as possible.

Yeah I show love to the unloveable.
Eg: I suply Boko Haram sects with food and water. I do visit and dust their IEDs.

tpia1: mark 12

in my personal xperience, there are people particularly frm my father's side, each time i remember wat my immediate family pas tru, i feel like sheddin tears, but my late parents kept telin us not to hate them even as dey hated us, even at dat, i found mysef not hatin nor lovin dem, d only tin i do is to avoid dem, at d same time, i see dem as part of me. I think dats d best way to handle such people, so dat u can and save their lives whe d need arises.

May God grant us al d desire to show love n grant mercy to one another...

tagging your fellow human being unloveable will not make them hate you less.

they'll just reciprocate the favour.

besides, your choice of words doesnt put you in a positive light.

if, for example i decide to tag my muslim brethren or my _____ brothers and sisters associates "unloveable" because we dont see eye to eye on some things, and some of them want me to butt out of their affairs, will that automatically remove my interest in occasionally contributing to topics as long as there's no immediate danger in doing so? (at my discretion of course).

if, however, there's a real instance of intense hatred arising from family circumstances or whatever, then your best bet is to stay away from what you cant control, since its not everything that has a solution.

some boundaries are simply not meant to be crossed, but throwing incendiary speech isnt always the best option.