How to Show Love to Imperfect People
Jesus is our Perfect Example of loving Imperfect people. While He walked on earth, He showed such patience, mercy, kindness, to everyone. The least of the least. Hurting people, demanding people, rude and unkind people. Needy people. Sometimes imperfect people can be so difficult! Love them anyway.
Not my words, but God’s. He says as much in His Word. He demonstrated it.
Read and Share These Posts in the Series on Hospitality:
- Part 1: How to Easily Show Biblical Hospitality
- Part 2: How to Be Used By God and Love People in Hospitality
Guests sometimes are difficult, love them anyway
Jesus Wrote The Book On Loving Imperfect People, Literally
Read the Bible. Jesus wrote the Book on loving imperfect people! When we think of showing hospitality, we need to think of serving Christ, loving Him back for all He’s done for us. That involves surrendering “our” agenda, “our” house, “our” time, and “our” energy. Recognizing His Lordship over us.
We want everything to be convenient, to feel good, and to be easy. Jesus’ example was sacrificial, and it was not convenient or easy. What He did for us was painful, and just plain hard.
Jesus Was Perfect, Surrounded By Imperfect People
I can only imagine how frustrating it must have been for Jesus, a perfect person, to live among imperfect people, day in and day out.
When we show hospitality to people who come to visit (and I’m primarily talking now about overnight guests and those who will stay at our home for more than a day), we will be inconvenienced. We must surrender and serve, lovingly!
Nothing That I Have Is Mine, But All His
It’s important to remember that nothing that I have is actually mine. It’s all the Lord’s, and on loan to me, to use for His glory.
“When showing hospitality, it’s important to remember that nothing I own is actually mine. It’s on loan to me from the Lord.” Wendy Gunn
When God Taught Me A Lesson In Surrender
When we had a group monthly in our home for a home church service years ago, we had just finished our basement with new light-colored, almost white carpet. God taught me a lesson. Our church’s practice was to have communion with grape juice every Sunday.
For many months I didn’t know the reason I was so anxious on these Sundays when we hosted the group. There were about 30-35 people, large families and many small children at that time. The Lord finally revealed my heart to me, and I realized I was worried and anxious over “my” carpet being spilled on with the grape juice.
It took awhile of praying and surrendering not just the carpet, but the whole house, and all of “my” possessions, to the Lord, before I finally had peace.
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Guests Sometimes Are Difficult. Love Them Anyway.
Wendy Gunn
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Who Owns Your Stuff? God or You?
God is Sovereign, and can do anything He wants. He has been very gracious to me to allow me to have any possessions at all. Do I hold them tightly in my hot, little hand, or do I share what I have with others, and even allow that they may break or ruin them?
If these things are God’s and I recognize that God owns everything in the world, I will realize that if God allows imperfect people to break something of His, He can replace it easily, if He wants.
Must I Give My Time And Energy To Imperfect People?
My energy and time, also, are not my own. If time is taken from me, or I’m forced to give it unwillingly, this, too, is in His control. Don’t let me misconstrue that I’ve arrived at perfection in my heart and attitude towards my possessions, time and energy. God’s still working on me. But, all this is really not about my mindset about hospitality.
It is about my lack of surrender to Christ. It is about my lack of love, humility, gratitude for all He has done for me, and my lack of love for Him in general, that these attitudes toward imperfect people reflect.
Guests sometimes are difficult, love them anyway
The mind and heart of Christ in me to love imperfect people, is impossible in my flesh. Without Christ, without His Holy Spirit living in me, doing the work in me, no love for imperfect people is at all possible.
I must be seeped in the Word of God, and pray for His Spirit to fill me with the love of Christ. I need to just say, “I’m available.” Then, watch what God will do.
I’m Available To Love Imperfect People, Lord
Surrender, surrender, surrender. God is perfecting me. I’m a part of that group of imperfect people, and my attitude shows it, when I am resistant to serve them, help them, or put up with them anymore!
May God give me grace and mercy, and be willing to continue loving all of us: imperfect people, even as He forms us into His image. May I follow Jesus’ example and show His love to other imperfect people on this journey with me.
Read and Share These Posts in the Series on Hospitality:
- Part 1: How to Easily Show Biblical Hospitality
- Part 2: How to Be Used By God and Love People in Hospitality
Have a Great Week Making Your Home For God!
I help moms with the overwhelm. To grow spiritually with joy in who God uniquely created you and your family to be, raise Godly children, and get your body, home and life in order for the glory of God, through Ebooks, courses, and group and individual coaching.
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