Brave Day #6: loving people

I've been at Catalyst today.  I have a love-hate with Catalyst.  I love the great speakers, awesome testimonies, the worship, the fun factor, exhibitors, opportunities to run into people from all sorts of places of my life.  I HATE the crowds, how hard it is to get through the traffic - on the road and in the corridors.  It drove me insane how many times in an hour and a half people felt a need to come up and down the aisle - for coffee, phone calls, Lord knows what else.  I mean, we get a break every hour and a half, for crying out loud.  So, yes, I love it and I hate it! 

But today, I got to hear Andy Stanley speak ... and he is always right on target with my heart.  Today was no exception, get excited to hear more about it!  And I heard Katie Davis, Kisses from Katie, Katie Davis, the 22 year old mother of 13 Ugandan girls.  (sigh)  It was strange to hear her real voice, after reading her for so long ... but what a sweet heart and what a challenge about adoption.  Speaking of brave ... I think people who adopt are amongst the bravest people I know!  I know a couple who waited a year and a half to welcome their sweet little daughter into their home a few weeks ago and she looks like she's belonged there all along (even if she is a bit darker than the rest of them!)  and I have some friends at home (oh yeh ... "home" is a bit ambiguous for me - here I mean AR) who have been fostering kids, waiting to adopt ... and just this week went to court for an evaluation as they are halfway through the decision period for the bio mom.  Hmmmmmm ... to love with the risk of losing.  WOW!

And that brings me to what I really want to talk about today.  Loving people ... that is one of the bravest things we do.  I was thinking about that today as I was driving to the store to get stuff to make cupcakes for someone's birthday ... someone who has hurt my heart this week.  And I realized that it takes a lot of guts to love someone ... to take the risk of not being loved back at every turn.  To love selflessly.  To love extravagantly.  To love those who are less than lovable ... sometimes.  To love when it costs a little ... to love when it costs a lot.

But, my cupcakes are small beans compared to some sweet friends who've been on my heart today ... they've been on my heart because they are loving some folks in their lives with a courageous, extravagant, selfless love. They are loving when those they are loving least deserve it, when those they are loving are hurting them and others, when it would be easier to just walk away and wash their hands of them. I hear the anguish in their messages and the pleas for wisdom. I've watched them forgive and find grace. I've seen them bless someone who has hurt them deeply. I've seen them help even when the other person's choices have seemed incomprehensible and despite ridicule and lack of understanding or appreciation!

So, today, let's all be brave and love people who are hard to love, when they least deserve it, in ways that cost us little and cost us much. Think I better go frost those cupcakes and go to bed if I'm dropping them off at school at 6 am (yikes ... that might cost me MUCH!!)

Romans 12 gives some reminders ...

Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.

Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody.

Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it."

Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.