Unlovable

There has been a group of us going to the northeast side of Canton, to the Chips neighborhood to reach out and build relationships with the people there.  The last time we were down there, we had a fun night with the kids playing games (dodge ball, kick ball...who doesn't like those) and eating pizza.  Two things struck me and stuck with me from that night.  First off, were the two youngest kids there, Kyler and Daniel, who were both around kindergarten age.  They both embodied that youthful enthusiasm of kids that haven't been jaded.  They were joyful and bashful.  Curious and hopeful.  They still had that look of wide-eyed wonder in their eyes and seemed to gravitate towards us.  To put it simply, they were so darn cute, and so easy to love. 

The second thing that struck me was how both myself and some of the other older kids seemed to be "cautious" around each other.  Oh sure, we talked, and joked, and enjoyed the games and food together, and definitely did have fun, but there was still a sense of caution it seemed on both sides.  For the older kids, I'm sure they were looking at us with somewhat jaded eyes, thinking to themselves, "what are these people all about?  Do they really want to get to know me?  Are these people just putting on fronts?"  For myself, I know the thought went through my mind about the older kids, the teenagers, that of "Do I really want to deal with the attitudes, the lack of listening to instructions, and lack of respect to some degree?  Wouldn't it just be easier for me to hang out with the younger kids, the ones that look at you as these awesome older people, that are happy to get a hug from you?" 

Later that night and the next day, it kept recurring to me how easy it was for me to show love to the young kids, but not so much to the older ones.  I think many times when we think of loving the unlovable we think of people in a third world country, or the homeless, or people that smell really bad, or people who are always down right mean-spirited.  We don't necessarily equate it to the way we respond and show love to two seemingly same groups of people.  I know many of the kids have come from similar backgrounds and live in the same neighborhoods.  And I think it is easy to think that I've shown love when I just picture all the kids together as one group, as the kids from Chips.  But in reality, there are two groups of people.  The loveable and the unlovable.  The ones that easily return my love and the ones that are hesitant to do so.  I think it is important to realize that there is a distinction, as well as to see each kid as an individual.  And I know for me, I've caught myself at times in loving the unlovable, that it has more of a self-righteous act, than that of true compassion and love.  I'm reminded of Matthew 5:43-48, about how Jesus talks about loving your enemies and was struck by how The Message put it:


 ^43-47"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
 ⁴⁸"In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you."  (Matthew 5:43-48, The Message)
 
That phrase,  In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up.  You're kingdom subjects.  Now live like it.  Live out your God-created identity, strikes a chord with me.  I want to live out my God-created identity of love, grace, kindness, and mercy.  I want to love like Jesus loved, truly loving the unlovable, out of motivation of the love the Father has shown me.  I don't want to look through jaded eyes.  I guess jaded eyes are one thing that me and the older kids share.  Lord restore clear vision to us so that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.