I love everybody...really!?!

Did you ever watch the Golden Girls? I LOVE Sophia's stories...

Picture it...Lasaters. Me. This morning.

I'm reading in John where Jesus is talking about loving one another. Like...everybody. There are tons of verses about turning the other cheek and loving those that persecute you and how even sinners love those who love them, we who are followers should love even those who are mean to us.

So, you're saying...even my mother-in-law!?!

Yes, Sara, yes I am.

Okay. So, you know I'm going for a laugh with that mother-in-law comment. But on a serious note, she is one person in my life that is truly difficult for me to love. She is one of those people who makes back-handed comments. "Oh, what an...interesting way to have one's hair cut." And then there's some down-right, straight-out nastiness that comes out.

But God has really been convicting me about this. And you know what's hitting me so hard? That same verse I blogged about before: 1 Peter 4:8 - "...continue to show deep love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins".

Is that possible? Well, God's word says it so. That if I allow God's love to work in me, to shine through me, that it could cover that sinful behavior? It is a mystery I best leave to God. But, I believe He is asking me to take it to heart. To allow Him to soften this hurt place in me--the place where I have every right to feel wronged, to want an apology (that I'm honestly probably not going to get).

Because He is the expert with these kinds of wounds. He can make this place whole again. If I will let Him.

And if I will seek to see my mother-in-law through His eyes, to see past the comments, I may be surprised what I find. Maybe I won't. But how will I know if I won't look beyond myself and my hurt?

Is there someone you have a difficult time loving? Who has wounded you? That you have legitimate grievance against? Can you, too, hand them over to God? Hand your hurt to Him and let Him do His healing work in that place?