He Has You

Too often in the world we live in, people find reasons to hate each other. They will find any difference that we have between each other and use it as a reason to hate some group. Often, the ones who yell the loudest that others are hateful are themselves the most hateful.

When you can love the unlovable, you begin to see how God has loved you. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 NKJV).

The only defense against hate is love. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Yet we think to defend against the attack, we need to attack. The light needs to do nothing more to defend against the darkness than to be the light.

Stop complaining about how dark it is, and just be the light. The Lord Jesus taught, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16 NKJV). Darkness never knows it is dark until the light appears. Be that light.

We know the world will hate us if we belong to Christ. We shouldn’t be surprised or worried because Jesus told us this would happen. We don’t have to defend the truth to those who are spreading the lie because they think the lie is true. We need to only love them.

The Christian faith is not complicated; people are. Just love others. “…If you love others, you have done all that the Law demands” (Romans 13:8 CEV).

We don’t have to compromise an inch on the Word and all that it contains. But only believe that the truth of God never changes, and it should be us who must be willing to be changed. We do not help those in darkness by becoming darkness but only by loving them into the light.

Love a person first, and then you might be able to correct them after. “My friends, if any followers have wandered away from the truth, you should try to lead them back. If you turn sinners from the wrong way, you will save them from death, and many of their sins will be forgiven” (James 5:19-20 CEV).

We don’t have to say what is wrong is right in order to win someone over. But we must love people just as they are and then let the Lord start to change them. We have enough wrong in ourselves, so we cannot stand in judgment of any other. But we can love everyone as He loves us.

Don’t love your doctrine more than your neighbor. “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Galatians 5:14 NKJV).

No matter how much someone hates you, still love them. Jesus said to love our enemy, and that includes even those who pretend to be your friend. The proof of love is the acts of love that we will show to those all around us. Love is like light; it cannot be hidden by the darkness.

Don’t let how you treat others depend on how they treat you. Jesus taught us, “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27-28 NIV).

Some will hate you more if you love them more. Love them anyway. Some will not reciprocate in kind and use your love to take advantage of you. Love them anyway. You may lose position or belongings as you love others. Love them anyway.

If you’re not filled with the love of God, then you’re not filled with God. “…God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him” (1 John 4:16 NASB).

We look around and think the world is going to hell in a handbasket, and we are right. But the question for you is, who are you willing to love the hell out of? Don’t despair that so many are going to hell, but only the one you could minister to.

Stop preaching a soft message that leaves people going to hell. Jesus taught, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21 NKJV).

Love cares more for the eternal life of someone than how they might treat you in the day. Jesus prayed for mercy on those who crucified Him. How much more should we pray for those who only use words against us? Let mercy be your life and it will be God who reaches others through you.

If you want to preach the love of Christ to the lost, you must prove it by loving them. “For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another” (1 John 3:11 NKJV).

In whatever you do, do it in love. In whatever you say, speak it in love. In whatever you pray, pray it in love. In whatever you think, let your thoughts be rooted in love. Be willing to love those who will never love you, and then you will be walking on holy ground.

Look for the best in others, and you will surely find it. “Love each other in a way that makes you feel close like brothers and sisters. And give each other more honor than you give yourself” (Romans 12:10 ERV).

Blessings to you always,

Paul Balius