Romans 12:17-21 :: But I don't want to love them...

Romans 12:17-21 (The Message and TNIV)

17-19Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it."

 20-21Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.

Wow, I just had a flashback to my early years and hearing my mother say, "Don't hit back!"  Then I was snapped back into today, when I heard myself say to my kids, "Don't hit back!"  I think that we are wired up by God to treat others the way we want to be treated.  The misfire in our wiring is a result of sin in our world and instead, we often treat others the way they treat us.  When we were kids it was about sharing toys and hitting each other, and as adults it may not be about much different.  When I hear adults talking poorly about someone, I often discover that they were wronged in some way by that person earlier.  We fail to treat people how we want to be treated and fall into treating them the way they have treated us - good and bad.

Think about this in terms of how we live as Christ-followers.  Do we discover beauty in everyone?  It's easy to see beauty in people that are like us or those that treat us well - you know the waiter that is prompt and friendly, not the one who forgets about us and is short with us when she does come to the table.  What about the co-worker who believes different than you when it comes to politics?  Maybe the neighbor down the street who doesn't watch his tongue when kids are around?  It's easy for us to pick up the gavel and be judge of those around us, but it's difficult to let God take care of it, not insist on getting even and seeing the beauty in everyone.

This is a struggle for me.  I do not find it easy to invest in things that do not give me a good return.  Investing soul energy in someone who treats me poorly is hard.  Loving the unlovable is difficult.  That is why I continue to rely on the strength of God to build into me the love he wants to share with others through me.  I can't do it.

I think this is still Paul's point.  It's not about us doing it, but about God reviving our dead hearts and breathing new life of love into us.  What do you think?  Is it easy for you?  If it is, tell us your secret.  If it's not, what helps?