Loving Those You Dislike
My inner monologue…
“My goodness I cannot stand her! Why must she be so loud? I’ll just walk away to avoid saying something unkind.”
Have you been in a situation where your dislike for someone makes it hard to act kindly, leading you to avoid or distance yourself from them? Well, this is something I am struggling with right now. Even as Christians, we sometimes struggle with these feelings. However, the Bible doesn’t command us to like everyone, but rather to love them.
1 John 4:8 “But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
1 John 4:20-21 “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.”
Leviticus 19:18 “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”
These are just a few of my favorites, but there are so many more verses that emphasize loving others!
Even though I wasn't being outwardly rude in the example above, I wasn't showing love. Ignoring her and avoiding the situation was easier for me but less impactful for her.
Though I may dislike someone, my love for Jesus compels me to follow His commandments: to love Him and to love others. This means my commitment to God is strong enough to extend even to those I struggle to like.
So, how do we show love to someone who annoys us? In my recent studies, I’m reminded that, “What is impossible for people is possible with God” (Luke 18:27). With prayer and a focus on patience, kindness, and endurance, I can start to act in love. Patience means choosing to be understanding, kindness means responding with grace instead of sarcasm, and endurance means listening to her even when it’s challenging. These actions, though difficult, honor God and reflect His love.
Loving someone is not a feeling but an action, an intentional response. God exemplified this through the ultimate act of love. 1 John 4:9 and 11 says, “God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.”
This sacrifice demonstrates His constant love for us, regardless of what we do. While He may be disappointed in what we do, His love and goodness remain unwavering. Thus, we are called to act in love towards others, regardless of our personal feelings.
If you’re struggling to love someone who frustrates you, I pray these shared verses and discussion encourage you. Instead of avoiding those people, I challenge you to begin with prayer to refocus on patience and endurance so you can be a beacon of love and light in the world.
