Because He Did

Jesus loved those who loved Him. He loved those who didn't.

JESUS LOVED A PROPHET CLOTHED IN CAMEL’S HAIR. Jesus loved a leper, ten lepers, men considered unclean. He loved a tax collector, two tax collectors, and made one a disciple. He loved a woman caught in adultery. He loved a woman from Samaria, a culture He should not associate with as a Jew. He loved her despite her having had five husbands and living with number six. He loved a woman filled with seven demons. He loved a man filled with a legion and set both the woman and the man free. He loved the pig farmers who begged Him to leave. He loved a Roman centurion and his servant, a Syro-Phoenician woman and her daughter; he healed both the servant and the daughter. He loved Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, and raised his daughter from the dead. He loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus and resurrected him although he’d been dead four days. He loved the widow from Nain, who was burying her son. One minute she’s mourning, the next he’s restored to her and there’s celebration.

Jesus loved the multitudes and fed them from what was basically nothing. He loved the blind man at Jericho who called out his name. He loved the lame man let down by his friends through another man’s roof. He loved a lame man who’d been sitting for 38 years by the pool. Jesus loved people, of all cultures, Jewish and non-Jewish alike. He loved those who loved Him. He loved those who didn’t. He loved the man who would betray Him, knowing what He would do. He loved the thief who hung beside him, although he deserved to be there.

He loved those who called out for His crucifixion. He loved those who wept at his feet. Jesus loved Saul, who murdered Christians, loved him enough to call him to minister to the Gentiles and made him into the greatest gospel influence. JESUS DIED FOR WHOSOEVER. He died for those who lived when He did. He died for those who would be born. He loved because God loves. He loved whosoever and so we love whosoever. We love despite our differences. We love despite what he said, what she wears, what he’s done to himself. We love despite mistakes, despite errors in judgment, despite skin color, despite seen hatred. We love the lovely, the ugly, those who hate us, those who don’t understand. We love our friends, our neighbors, and our enemies.

Because He did. He is our example.

Let’s move deeper into love. Let’s leave the fringes, where we are struggling to love people, and make love the center of who we are. Let’s make love so consuming that we can’t escape it. Let’s love because in Him that’s who we are.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (14) Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” (John 15:13-14)


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com