Loving peOpLe..

This phrase pops up in my mind today.. loving people.. especially when loving means, going the extra mile, causing inconvenience to self, etc.. and loving them for who they are, where they are at..

Sounds easy or looks easy but actually fact, it is not so when you get involved in lives.. when you get your hands dirty as it were.. Just purely for one good reason which is we are all made to be different, with different upbringings, different backgrounds, different experiences of life.. And because of that, we see things differently. The very thing I may find so easy to handle may be a very hard thing for another person.. and it just goes round and round.. and also because of this, lots of misunderstandings could take place, unknowingly sometimes, unfortunately.

Now then, with all this, how do we love? We could because of God's love and because of who He is.. and purely because He first love us that we could love Him back and we could love others.. Yet, there are choices because He loves us so much that He gives us choices.. Choices to love and not to love. The amazing thing is that everyone of us, deep down in our hearts just long to be loved. Whether we admit it or not, that is a different issue. We can't run away from the fact that we are made to be loved and to love. And every single person is entitled to be loved, no matter what situations and circumstances we are in..

However, in reality sense, alot of times, this is hard to comprehend especially with so much things going on in the world.. Where do we start? Dare we start? Dare we extend such love? Coz loving people also means risking ourselves to vulnerability.. means that the love may and could be rejected due to fear and many other reasons..

For me.. the key is looking to God.. be filled and overfilled with His Love and be bold to love others, not worry about the returns and trusting that God will take care of the returns.. God Himself will take care of the details.. I am praying that I would have His boldness and joy to love.. whoever He called me to love.... Is it that simple? Hmm.. I think so because having Him to walk with in life, makes things simple.. I have to admit that most times, things are made complicated with my own worries, doubts, sins... The amazing thing about God is that He still loves me, us.. no matter what.. and His Love is unconditional......

As John 3:16 - 17 says.. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved." May this truth sinks deep in our hearts everytime we read or hear it because God's Word is alive!.. *wink*

Having scribbled all the above doesn't mean that I am there.. I am no where near, mind you.. this is a lifelong journey of learning for me..... and it is just amazing to learn from the Lord.. if only I am willing.. and frankly, sometimes, I have been naughtily not willing for whatever reasons.. and yet, without fail, God would remind me again and again.. I wonder will He ever get tired of me? and so far, He still persists on.. for which I am forever thankful and grateful for. *grin*