Day 9: Hard to Love People

Matthew 5:43-48 NIV
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

When I read this today, I first thought of enemies as the people that attack you. But then I wondered about those people that aren't evil so much as awkward, weird, ugly, smelly, poorly dressed, hard to communicate with, have no understanding of how to interact with people, have poor morals, don't agree with you etc. All those people that are not opposed to you but that you don't want to love. What about them. Where do they fit in?
It took a few moments for me to realize that those are not the people that make themselves your enemies. Those are the people who you make your enemies. You choose not to let them inside your "circle." You choose to put distance between you and them. These are your enemies because you decided they aren't worthy of your love - you say they aren't good enough.
God calls us to be more than others...to be like him and love all. If we could do that, we would be perfect. (Don't let the word perfect scare you. If you can move a mountain, then you should be able to love people. If God can do it, so can you because He will give you the strength to do it if you choose to try.)
I encourage you today to go out of your way to love those who hate you as well as those you would normally treat as hateful for whatever reason. Do not be miserly with your love. Be generous and free. You don't have the right to decide if someone deserves your love. The love you have sid not originate with you anyway. If God blesses both the good and the evil, so should you.
Chase after the only perfection worth having, the perfect offering of love.