Love like You

I was listening to one of my favorite praise songs the other day (Hosanna by Hillsong United) and one line really resonated with me.

'Show me how to love like You have loved me'

I think this is something we all struggle with.  At least, I know I do.  I like to think I'm a 'nice' person.  That I treat everyone equally and fairly.  That I give people the benefit of the doubt.

But I am an imperfect person.

Too often I find myself making snap judgements or gossiping.  I like to justify it by saying I'm just venting or making an observation.  But those are just excuses, justifications.  It doesn't really excuse or justify my behavior.  My friend, Kristi, wrote about just that here.

Sometimes people just rub me the wrong way.  They haven't done anything wrong.  I am in no place to judge anyone else, but I do.  I'll say 'I love so-and-so, but can you believe what they did?' or 'she seems like a nice enough person but did you hear what she just said?'

Who am I to judge anyone?  I have a faulty personality.  I've lied.  I've cheated.  I've stolen.  I've  been mean.  I've been petty.  I've been immoral.  I've sinned countless times.

If only I could learn to love like God loves us.  He loves us unconditionally.  There is NOTHING we can do to alter that love.  No matter how many times we fall short (and we will-again and again and again...), God is there to help us back up, embrace us and say, 'it's okay, my child.  I forgive you.  I love you.  I will never leave you.'.

I want to love live that!  I want to be loved like that.  We are only human though.  We hold grudges.  We make judgements.  We are biased.  This is something I am earnestly working on.  Whenever I hear the venom of gossip flowing from my lips, I have to conciously make the decision to ask God to help me love that person better.

It doesn't matter what that person has done.  It really is none of my concern.  Their struggles are for God to deal with, not me.

Controlling my venomous tongue is difficult.  I will probably struggle with this for the rest of my earthly life, but with Gods help, I can do anything.

What do you struggle with?