Since I’ve been on vacation I had decided to find an earlier post to share again. This is from February 2017. It’s worth a second look!

Sharon was my first pastor's wife and the first woman I looked up to as a mentor. I wanted to be just like her! Sharon was a Georgia peach, a Southern belle who hadn't let years of living in New York State steal her Southern charm or her Southern drawl. But most important, Sharon loved her Jesus.

She was an excellent Bible teacher. The women of our church were more blessed than they realized as they sat under Sharon's wisdom and insight. (The men never got to benefit from Sharon's teaching as this church did not allow women in the Sunday pulpit.) From what I understand, there were times when Sharon used almost no notes as she taught. Her impact came from sharing what was obviously so real to her. It wasn't just knowledge. It was her life. It's taken me years to be able to articulate that. I still want to be just like her.

There is one thing Sharon said in a teaching that I have never forgotten. She said, "Love the people Jesus loves." Love the people Jesus loves? Who does Jesus love? Well....you know...EVERYONE! That's a fact that we often quote, but the illustration Sharon used was about God moving them from their home in Georgia to New York and then calling them to start a church in this unfamiliar place with an unfamiliar brand of people. "Love the people Jesus loves."

Who does Jesus love?That annoying co-worker. Your bratty neighbor's kid. The lady in church who sings too loud and wears too much perfume. The grocery clerk who is so busy talking to his co-worker that he barely pays attention to you and almost overcharges you. That person driving ON YOUR TAIL with their headlights in your rearview.

Who does Jesus love? The drug addict in your neighborhood. The homosexual couple across the street. The young lady with tattoos and multiple piercings and a foul mouth. Need I go on?

Love the people Jesus loves. When I said YES to Jesus, I said yes to loving the people He loves and that is an amazing part of this adventure. Because when I love the people Jesus loves I get to witness transformed lives. Sometimes the life that is most transformed...is mine.

Key thought: Love the people Jesus loves.

A Scripture to consider: 1 John 4:19-21

"We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister."

A YES challenge: Who is God calling you to love today?

Prayer: Dear Lord, this is hard. Loving the people You love is something that I can't do in my own power. I need You to help me. I need You to put your love in my heart. The fruit of Your Spirit is love. Fill me with Your Spirit today so that I can join You in the loving. Help me to love others in Your name. Help me to love the people You love. Amen.