But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you,
do good to them that hate you,
and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven:
for He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good,
and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:44-45
It’s so hard to love your enemies
Or even those who you don’t like
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye?
do not even the publicans the same? Matthew 5:46
To reach out to those who don’t share your values or opinions or morals
Those who don’t have the same things you do, who aren’t in your socioeconomic status; those who don’t speak as well;
those who don’t hold such a position in the community that you do;
those who are not as well-respected as you are;
those who fumble with their words
or who are not as adapt with their social skills;
those who don’t have as many friends; who aren’t as privileged or as likable
The unlovely can be any and all
that we might consider less than what we think of ourselves
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory;
but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Philippians 2:3
Jesus is kind to the unjust as well
Just like He sends rain on the just and unjust
This world belongs to Him
and the people who don’t acknowledge Him are often unlovely to us
There are many unlovely people, people who aren’t nice,
people who bother us for all sorts of reasons
But above all these things put on love,
which is the bond of perfection. Colossians 3:14
Put on love, like a garment, wrap yourself in it
and wrap those you meet in God’s love as well
We may not have found John the Baptist very lovable with his attire
and diet of locusts and wild honey
or even Jesus who did not seek His place in this world
He said what He thought and offended many
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers:
for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Hebrews 13:2
In other words, treat others as though God is watching, because He is