I love you but I don’t like you…
By mattsmallbone. Filed in God |
We have all learned to say some pretty ridiculous things.
I know people who claim that: “I’m not book smart, but I am street smart”.
I just think that they are “pretend smart”.
My least favorite of all time is:
“I love you but I don’t like you”.
I wonder whether anyone is truly capable of this.
Christians say this kind of stuff all of the time… and it is extremely unhelpful to our spiritual lives. We would be better off saying nothing at all. The only thing that crazy talk like “I love you but I don’t like you” achieves is to anaesthetize our sinful state. If we spend too much time saying weird stuff that minimizes our sin… we very quickly become self-righteous. Very soon you will find yourself needing a helper rather than a savior.
Trust me… we all need a savior.
Thursday, March 11th 2010 at 12:08 pm |
Jesus never did/does that. He simply told the adulterous woman to go and sin no more. The leper didn’t repulse him at all. He did what he could to restore sight to the ‘blind’. Loving our brothers and sisters is easy. Loving those whom despite, hate and are aggressively hostile… that is difficult. But wasn’t I one of those very people before the grace of Jesus claimed my heart? Yes I was! And He calls us to love others, even our enemies in the same way. Forgive me Lord when I am content with a complacent prayer for others when they really need me to be a loving shoulder, helping hand; a vessel for Your use. How the emotion swells for the ‘good guys’ like Smalls here but hardens when I hear of my enemy’s works. Are they not both your Creations? May I be like you, lovingly washing the feet of my betrayer. For Your glory and by your holy name. Amen.
Thursday, March 11th 2010 at 12:12 pm |
Love the sinner, hate the sin……….. How about, “love the sinner, hate your own sin”.
Thursday, March 11th 2010 at 10:08 pm |
I think I’m with Mark Johnson on this one. After living at a drug rehab for a number of years this issue is something I experience regularly. I have had to love people I wouldn’t normally like. It’s easy to like nice people but to love those that try and steal your car, who tell you to F off, and never say thanks etc.. When I find myself loving those ‘un-likely’ people it’s the clearest evidence that God’s grace is at work in and through me. It can only be grace because by nature I’m a egotistical, proud, selfish person.
Friday, March 12th 2010 at 12:43 pm |
Good points fellas. I guess what I was trying to say is that Christians often say disingenuous things to mask their sin. I can see that it is possible to love without liking… but I would see this as an exception (ie someone stealing your car) rather than the rule.