So, if you’ve been alive in like the last decade I’m pretty sure you’ve seen Mean Girls, I mean, even the sassy kids I nanny have seen it… Well, while I was just hanging out reading my bible and what not this morning, the whole “she doesn’t even go here!” phrase kept running through my mind, I was even hearing it in Damien’s voice.

I couldn’t keep it out, especially in regards to all the stuff happening in the world right now, lets be honest it’s looking pretty bleak.

These past few days, the topic of loving people has been at the forefront of my mind; loving without reservation. I was talking to a really great friend about how I just wish that instead of people destroying one another in the name of their nation or beliefs or what have you, that we could just all sit down and talk about it and resolve our problems.

I know, I know, it’s wishful thinking, but how similar is that to Jesus.

How often does he show up in the bible and say to love one another? He just jumps up on stage and is like “I wish that I could bake a cake made out of rainbows and smiles… and we could all get along.” He doesn’t actually say that, but for all intensive purposes, you get my point. He’s sitting up in heaven doing bicep curls and answering prayer requests, thinking ‘dude, the greatest commandment is love.’

John 13:34-35 ESV

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Colossians 3:14 ESV

“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”

1 John 4:19 ESV

“We love because he first loved us.”

1 Peter 4:8 ESV

“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”

I sit here, just wondering why it’s so hard for us to live this out, you know? Like why is it that every time it comes down to actually having to love someone difficult to change something, we stand up and yell “SHE DOENST EVEN GO HERE!”

Just like two days ago, I wrote another post basically about the fear of love because of hurt. I still think that is applicable to this; we live our lives terrified of not lining up to the comparisons we’ve built in our minds or because someone has ripped our heart out and hurt us, but real love is painful.

Real love is sacrificial, I’m not married, but I’m pretty sure any married couple would agree. You have to give of yourself to make someone else better sometimes. I mean, look at the Lord for goodness sake, he had to watch his son be brutally murdered and ridiculed because he loves us so much.

Love isn’t meant to be safe or a walk in the park. It’s meant to be a daring adventure requiring bravery at its fullest. The thing about that is, we think bravery is being able to demolish our fears, but I honestly think that bravery is seen in the moments when we can acknowledge we are terrified and continue on despite.

Loving hard people and opening your arms to them is hard, it will be uncomfortable, it will probably be scary, it may even be life altering but as that super famous quote goes… “It is far better to have loved and lost then to have not loved at all.”

I would just like to say, instead of being Damien and Miss Norbury next time love shows up and asks to be shown, don’t kick it out, embrace it. Love out of the healthy parts of your heart, the parts where Jesus has healed you. When Jesus loves people through you, those fears and hurts will be conquered, you’ll walk in bravery and love well.

So, it’s a good day, forget all the “she doesn’t even go here” nonsense and just love people; when you see them as Jesus does it will be impossible not to. We were all created with such value. Remember that. You are valuable and so is that annoying guy that lives next door to you.

 

XoXo,

Brunette Adventurer