doctors who used to do unthinkable wrongs but have now experienced the
power of love and acceptance and grace at our school. Here’s the message
I received:
“We’ve rescued the child.”
“He’s with his mother.”
And a moment later, I received a text message that simply read:
“Love does.”
I lost it.
Maybe you thought you were simply coming to the end of a book. What if
I told you this was actually an intervention and all the people you know
have been calling and asking me to break some news to you: You can no
longer continue to be the person you’ve been? What are you going to let
go of? Who is it you don’t get? Who don’t you understand? Who have
you been playing it safe with, while politely keeping your distance? Who
has been mean or rude or flat wrong or creeps you out? Don’t tell them
all your opinions; give them all your love. I know it’s hard for you. It’s
hard for me too. But I’m learning I have to follow Jesus’ example and
follow His lead if I’m going to follow in His steps. Even when we feel
like we can’t muster the strength and humility to love our enemies, the
truth is we can.
If you do this, I can promise two things will happen. First, it will be
messy. Sometimes ugly messy. You’ll also be misunderstood— you
might not even understand yourself anymore. The second thing is just as
true: you’ll grow. And people who are growing fall forward and bump
into Jesus all over again.
Obeying Jesus when it comes to loving difficult people is hard. I’m
still working on it. I’m sure it will take the rest of my life. The heavy
lifting is worth it, though. Difficulties and setbacks will give us the
chance to go back or lean forward once again. I’m convinced heaven is