If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.
There are a few people I do not like. I wish I could say I like everyone, but I can’t. However, I realize I don’t have to like someone. Case in point: There is a man whom I will never like—he abused people I care about and is unrepentant even when he acknowledges his actions—but I do not hate him. I know I used “hate” to describe how I felt towards him when the pain was fresh enough one could smell the wounds (figurative) he left, but using the word felt right, even though I did not hate him. When I think of this man, which thank God is less and less, I feel pity towards him. He said he gave his life to God years ago—his actions say otherwise—so I should be able to say I love him as a brother and yet, I can’t do that either. So, if I say I love him it is Christ, who lives in me, saying those words.
Christ has healed a lot of the pain this man put me through; however, there is still pain lying beneath years of compounded scars. I don’t like to think about him. I don’t like to hear his name, ever. I do hope he finds God—I would believe him if he apologized, but he believes his happiness is more important than others—his time is more precious—his need to cheat on his family is insatiable. He attends a church that tells him having a mistress is okay if that is what makes him happy—this is one of the many reasons I know he doesn’t know my God.
I write this not to incite anger towards this man. I write this as a reminder to myself, that while I do not like this man and I hope to never hear from him again, if he asks for my forgiveness, I will be able to say I love him as brother because of Christ and because he believes. I want nothing more than for him to meet and walk with the God I love. I would love for him to realize there is a God who loves us unconditionally; a Triune God who wants to shower us in grace and mercy—to wipe away our sins. Of course, this does not mean that if he apologized, I would need to let him back into my life. God has graciously pruned that part of my life and set me free from the shackles I was bound to.
This passage is also relevant, for me, as we near the inauguration of a man who makes fun of the disabled, talked about women horribly, and throw tantrums on Twitter. This is not a political statement—his actions and words are fact. As someone who lives with a disability, as a woman, and as an adult, I worry about the further separation and isolation of those who are not considered worthy. I know God can work through anyone. If we as believers, love on everyone—not just those who agree with us—I believe we can change the world. Love is the answer to hate—actions, speech, and words.
I believe God is moving. He is asking us to reconcile ourselves to Him, to be ambassadors that spread and show His love and mercy, and to love our brothers and sisters in Christ, even when we don’t agree with them.
Six Steps Since 