Loving the unloveable in your life

“Love the unloveable” is a beautiful statement to put on a wall sign. It’s a powerful message to wear on a t-shirt. But is it practical? Is it even possible? Seriously, how can we learn to love the unlovable? 

Surprisingly, you have more expertise in this area than you think. You’ve been doing it your whole life. 

Everyone has a person in their life who has let them down, broken their trust, and done things they would never want to be caught doing.  Everyone has an unloveable person in their life who they have continued to serve, pray for, stand by, and fight to defend. 

You are no exception. You have someone like that in your right now. If you pull out your phone and put it in selfie mode, you can take a look at that person right now. It’s yourself. 

Despite everything you know about yourself, you continue to ask God for mercy, help, blessings, and a better tomorrow. We tend to justify our actions through the lens of our intentions. 

I was only trying to help. 

I only did that because of what they did. 

I didn’t mean any harm. 

I was hurting at the time. 

Even when our actions are unloveable we often give ourselves a pass because we believe the best about ourselves and want the best for ourselves. 

This is exactly what Jesus was getting at when He declared the second great commandment was to, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 

If you doubt yourself, I would challenge you to review your prayers. Who do you pray for the most? Who do you primarily ask God to help, to give peace, to provide for, and to bless? 

It may make you uncomfortable to face the truth that you love yourself so much. But don’t be ashamed of it. Jesus wasn’t saying to love yourself less. He was pointing out your deep love for yourself as a good example. One worth modeling in how you love others. 

What would happen if you decided to love others, show them mercy, and fight for their future like you do for yourself? What if you loved the unloveable others the same way you love the unloveable you? 

As you read these verses, reflect on your own life and ask God to give you the same love for others that you have for yourself. 

📖 Matthew 22:34-40
But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

📖 Romans 12:10
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

📖 Matthew 3:43-45
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.

🙏🏼 Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you love the unloveable as much as you love your unloveable self. Pray that you love them so deeply that you want to pray for them to receive God’s mercy, a second chance, more grace, greater blessings, and a better tomorrow. Imagine how different the world would be if we all prayed for and loved others with the same commitment we do for ourselves. 
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We invite you to visit the Beat Church in Round Rock, Texas where you find others just like you who are committed to loving others with the same commitment they have to loving themselves. We're a garage, not a showroom. At the Beat, it's ok, to not be ok. We welcome you to join us in our journey of learning to love God, love people, and live like we mean it.

Drop a comment below and share what this devotional is stirring in you  💬👇👇

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