Walking by Faith - Love the "Unlovable"

Anita and Ronnie Smith were two young, married Christians who desired to serve the Libyan people. Since God had blessed Ronnie with the ability to teach Chemistry, he (Ronnie) chose to work as a teacher in Libya. However, on December 5, 2013, Ronnie was killed. He had been out on a morning jog when gunmen in a black jeep targeted and shot him.

In a later letter by Anita, she addressed her husband's attacker, saying, "I love you and forgive you. How could I not? For Jesus taught us to 'love our enemies' - not to kill them or seek revenge." (Familytoday.com)

A woman who had been wronged chose to do right. Instead of being vengeful, she chose to love and forgive as her Savior would do, as the Savior would do.

• "Jesus said, "Forgive them, Father! They don't know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34 GNT)

• "...and forgive one another, as God has forgiven you through Christ." (Ephesians 4:32 GNT)

• "For God so loved the world..." (John 3:16 NIV)

As humans, we tend to categorize certain people as "unforgiveable" or "unlovable". We think they have done something too terrible; and they are undeserving of love.

Imagine if that's what Christ did.

Imagine if Christ only came for the righteous.

Imagine if Christ chose not to die for the world, merely because we have all done something terrible.

It is important to understand that we all are undeserving of Christ.

Love is a choice. It is a decision to love someone, despite all their shortcomings. This is what Christ did for us.

He came for the sinners.

He chose to die for us, although we repeatedly did what was wrong.

• "I have not come to call righteous people, but sinners, to repentance." (Luke 5:32 INV)

• "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8 ESV)

As Christians, we are told to live for Christ.

• "I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship." (Romans 12:1 NAB)

• "Therefore, if you were raised with Christ, look for the things that are above where Christ is sitting at God's right side." (Colossians 3:1 CEB)

If we are living for Christ, we ought to be loving Him and obeying His commandments.

• “If you love me, you will keep my commandments." (John 14:15 ESV)

What are Christ's commandments? Love. His commands are centered around loving God and loving others.

• "Jesus answered, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and the most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like it: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.'" (Matthew 22:37-39 GNT)

• "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." (John 13:34 ESV)

• "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:11 ESV)

Brothers and sisters, we are instructed to love. We are told to love our neighbor, who is anyone and everyone.

We are to choose to love, even those who have wronged us, with no exceptions.

If we were not too unlovable for Christ, then they are by no means either.

Chose to love like Jesus did.