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Human Care

Love the Unloveable

Matthew 25:40
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” 

How do we love the unloveable?

One summer a few years ago, our small town experienced the destruction of two family businesses, both by fire.  When the first fire destroyed a sporting goods store, endless efforts were made to help the business get back on its feet.  When the second business, a family bar, was destroyed, not only were there no efforts to help (after all, it was just a bar,) but, because the city had rezoned the area, the family was not allowed to rebuild. 

How do we love the unloveable?

Zechariah 7:9  “This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.’” 

A young boy discovers early in life that he is “different.”  He can read the notes to his preschool friends as they drive home in carpools.  As he goes through school, he makes an effort to seem “normal,” and even writes an essay without any punctuation in order to be like the other kids.  He is not motivated to complete his homework because he doesn’t see the necessity to do exercises in order to learn material he already knows.  A few teachers see his potential and know they need to develop his organizational skills and cultivate a love of showing his work as he learns, but most hated having this borderline, unmotivated genius in their class—after all, shouldn’t someone that intelligent know exactly how do everything?

 How do we love the unloveable?

II Peter 1: 5-8  For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Two women have been friends for many years.  Ann has counseled Lois when she has been angry with someone, and has shown her how that person, even though they may have done something wrong, is still a child of God and a worthy person.  One day it is Ann who is angry.  Lois gently recounts the positives of the wrongdoer in the same way she has been counseled in years past, thinking that this will help Ann work through her anger.  Instead of seeing and accepting the help offered Ann is livid and tells Lois she is a mean, uncaring person and not her friend.   Lois always thought that their Christian friendship was a two-way street.  Hurt and stunned, she has no desire to renew the friendship.

How do we love the unloveable?

Matthew 5: 43-48  "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies] and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

This summer has afforded us many opportunities to show love to others.  Camp Restore still needs volunteers to clean up the Katrina aftermath.  Fires in the west have devastated lives and forests and homes.  Floods in the mid-west needed our bucket brigades to help with the clean-up.  Other ministries to the poor and needy still continue.

And some of you have dared to be different.  This summer, the boy genius, now an adult, dared to be different.  He dared to love the unloveable.  When the floods hit Cedar Rapids, he went to help a business clean out the mud, trash, mold and wood—a business others were not helping because it was “just a bar.”  When floods destroyed ground in Iowa City, he didn’t join organized groups who were cleaning up; instead he went to help someone who lived too far “out-of-the-way” and helped clean up their yard that had become a sandlot, their house that had been partially destroyed, and their belongings filled with dirt and mold.  His actions made me wonder:  Do we need to be or to have been unloveable in order to help the unloveable?  Are we like the priest or Levite and not like the Good Samaritan?

III John 1:11  “Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.”

Can we set aside our differences?  Can we set aside our comforts and comfort those in need?  Can we imitate Christ and really love the unloveable?  Check out the Human Care buttons on the right.  See how you can get started or recharged to love the unlovable!

Matthew 25:40

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

2007-2009 Human Care Committee,
Karen Morfitt
Mary E. Smith
Sheila Lutz, Chairman