love anyway

“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.

Matthew 5:43‭-‬47 MSG

I just had a lovely night with friends. I cooked pizza and a chocolate cake. We ate around the firepit and talked. Such fun! Then we played games, laughed and talked.

This did not happen by waiting for someone to care and invite me over. I made it happen. Fortunately I know how to have good clean fun.

We can sit around wondering what is wrong with us or be brutally honest and tell our friends where we are at and what our needs are. I think my friends are better for me having spoken up and asked for help.

Instead of resenting others and falling out with them because they lack initiative, make a move and change casual relationships into good ones and also prevent them from becoming enemies. Amen!