How can you love everybody?

The comments of Jesus that are recorded in the bible were frequently from outdoor speeches before large crowds.He frequently made very general statements appropriate for the event.His crowd speeches did not go into detail.Your statement that we should treat people with kindness is a good way to understand what He meant.There are different types of love.Forgiving those who have harmed you and doing good to even those who hate you,is the lesser type of love He was talking about.As hard as it is to do,it is a requirment for salvation.Specifically, the bible says that God will not forgive us unless we forgive those who have harmed us.

Mo_HH_ljc said:

Hey
I just read through my bible, (i am a pretty new christian, and i read the bible now for 3 weeks) and I saw this verse where Jesus is saying: my command: love each other.
Does Jesus mean, love everybody or just the people you hang out with and have the same beliefs?
And if Jesus wants us to love everybody, how can I do that? I mean, there are some people that are so cruel to me, and who really hurt me in every way, and now I must learn to love them?
Or does Jesus only mean, treat them as if you love them? (like fight evil with good?)
thanks
MOxxx

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I take it to mean everyone. Every single person. (The parable of the good Samaritan-- Luke 10:25-37-- is a really good passage in relation to that, and remember that Samaritans were utterly despised in that society).

I think that Jesus, here, is speaking of "love" as an action and not a feeling--although if you have the feeling of love for everyone, that's nice, but it's very hard. How would you treat the cruelest people you know, if you did love them? That's the ideal I believe we should be striving for. It's an act of love to comfort someone who's grieving, take care of someone who's sick, even if on the inside you're thinking, "I hate this."

And the funny thing about that is, sometimes, if you act with love towards someone you don't particularly like, then eventually you start to like them--and maybe even love them.

Yeah, you don't have to have lovey gushy feeling for everyone in the world, but always be kind. Not only will it bring you closer to the Lord, but it's just very personally fulfilling when you realize that the Lord has given you the strength to rise above their pettiness and creulty.

Mo_HH_ljc,
I believe love has more to do with actions than words. Look at married people; they've promised to love each other. Of course they'll get mad at the other, hurt and scared. But they forgive, and don't hold on to the grudges, not because they feel like it, but because they've promised to do it. I think that's how it's supposed to be, anyway.
Our relationship to Christ is like a marriage - a covenant. We're supposed to reflect God's actions toward us, in our dealings with other people. So even if someone makes you angry, even if they hurt you, even kill you, you love them.
I know it's impossible. That's why we need to surrender to the Lord for the strength to do it. And let me just say, I have a hard time practicing this myself. But it's something you can grow in.

I'm also a very new Christian, and this is the thing I've had the most trouble with. Being a hockey player since I was just a wee lad, I picked up the mentality that if he hits me, I look at his jersey #, and get him back later. and often that turned into him getting me back for getting him back, and ultimately us both dropping our gloves, and punching eachother in the head until one of us fell down. (usually not me who hit hte ice) But since I became a Christian, I haven't played hockey at all, because I know that I won't be able to live up to the promise I have made to love and forgive those who harm me.
Maybe you should do what I did, and avoid what makes you sin?

Mo_HH_ljc said:

Hey
I just read through my bible, (i am a pretty new christian, and i read the bible now for 3 weeks) and I saw this verse where Jesus is saying: my command: love each other.
Does Jesus mean, love everybody or just the people you hang out with and have the same beliefs?
And if Jesus wants us to love everybody, how can I do that? I mean, there are some people that are so cruel to me, and who really hurt me in every way, and now I must learn to love them?
Or does Jesus only mean, treat them as if you love them? (like fight evil with good?)
thanks
MOxxx

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Good question!!! No, if we love only those that love us, we are loving as the world loves. We must try to love those who hurt us. It was the Christians loving the Romans who persecuted them that made the Romans see the light of HIS TRUTH. This is a VERY hard thing to do. What Jesus told us to do is to PRAY for them that hurt you spitefully, (with hatred or malice) and BLESS those that curse you. This is an amazingly effective formula!!! What happens is, you are released from your anger or hurt as you put this into practice.

Try this, the next time someone cuts you off driving on the road, instead of cussing them or 'questioning their lineage', pray for them out loud. Ask Jesus to bless them and help them get to their destination safely without harming themselves or anyone else. Ask Jesus to make their day better and bless them. I find this gives me an instant peace and I can relax and will not drive crazy like the devil wants to make you!!! I even have laughed at the devil and told him, you fool, I'm going to pray for abundant blessing on that person JUST because you did that!!! (Now that is slapping the enemy a good one, spirituallly speaking!)

I will not lie to you, sometimes I have found myself wanting to slap someone's 'face clean off' but instead The Holy Spirit will show me I must pray for them. So I do. I'm usually still angry at first but I do obey and pray for them. Little by little, I find my anger at them being replaced by pity and/or understanding. Remember we wrestle not with flesh and blood but with powers and principalities. The enemy will work through someone that is not carefully guarding their heart and actions. So we find a new understanding of those that hurt us. Making it possible to love them, even when liking them is REALLY hard.

There is a story that Jesus before He went into the temple plaited the rope HE used. He prayed for each one of those that HE was angry with, knowing the agonies HE would soon suffer for them. HE did this before HE went into the temple to throw over the moneychangers tables. I always liked that story, it makes me think and pray BEFORE I act.
Hope this helps.
~Cyberwing

Once you recieve how much the Lord loves you, then it will be a lot eaiser to love others. I'm not saying it will be a piece of cake, but it will be easier. Also, ask God to help you love others. Especially the people who treat you cruel. You should try praying blessings on your enemies especially. It may start off dry and lifeless (for your enemies), but once you get into a habit of it, it will become a sincere love for them. You will truly begin to love them. Also, if you're holding any bitterness against them, then that could make it twice as hard.

If you love God, you will kep His commands, and this is how the world will know that we are His, if we love one another.

it goes against our natural natures (old selves) to love, even those that don't seserve it. But the Bible has called Christians to a higher plain of living. God gives us the strength to love, for as we become more like Christ we'll be... (forgive me if this sounds stupid) More like Him

Love everybody... but start with those nearby... like your family first, then people in the same street, people at school, etc.

-- Radagast

Mo_HH_ljc said:

I understand what you are saying and I am willing to do so, but if you bless those who are cruel and don't believe in the Lord, doesn't it make them even more powerfull? Or does God take the evil away from him with my blessings? because if he doesn't believe in the word of God, will he even recieve the blessings I make for them?

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If someone you loved was going to drive after having had too many beers, you'd try to stop them, right? And you wouldn't let them copy off your paper if there was a test they hadn't studied for, right? Loving someone means wanting what's best for them--not just letting them have what they want. If you can show someone love and compassion, then, yes, they may well become less cruel. But that love and compassion doesn't have to include helping them do what's wrong.

God is definitely not going to make someone cruel more powerful because you blessed that person! He might use that blessing to turn the person's heart around to good.

Passages , such as these , point out the power of love ( of God within you ) ; the means to break the hold of evil on others ; the paradox of our faith " reverse psychology of Jesus " ; the means to reconcile the lost - James 5.18-19 ; Romans 12.18-21 ; the difficult thing that requires faith - hebrews 11.6 ; the possible thing by faith - Matthew 19.26 ; Hebrews 11.1

start by praying for them , when they smart off , cut off , rat on , offend you ... go for a smoke , to the bathroom , a short walk .... bless them , bless their kids , their marriage , their position .... as long as you force your self to do this ..... then no vile communication can come out of your mouth and condemn you .....

it is difficult , very difficult , but with God all things are possible -- Philipians 4.13
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;


Luk 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you [from their company], and shall reproach [you], and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.


Luk 6:27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,


Jhn 7:7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.


Jhn 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before [it hated] you.


1Jo 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

Forgive others as you also have been forgiven. God calls us to love everybody, although I admit, it is extremely difficult to do sometimes. Love, like forgiveness, is an action. The best way to let a person know you love them is by showing them through your actions.

God bless.

Mo_HH_ljc said:

...I just realized, that I have lots to study and learn from the bible...

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We all do... no matter how long we've been Christians...

-- Radagast