Tolerated or Loved

Yesterday, I posted a blog about friends. Today, I want to follow up just a bit about that thought. I try to be an honest person. I also try to be polite and treat people the way I would want to be treated. Sometimes those three are difficult to co-exist. Sometimes, Christians may say something like, "I love you, but I sure don't like you." or "I love you, but only because I have to." Of course, they are referring to Christ's command to love one another. Yes, Christ does expect us to love one another, but He expects it to be a genuine love. There are times when I have wondered if people love me or simply tolerate me. What are the ingredients of loving someone? By no means an exhaustive list, but to love someone is to communicate with them. Find out their needs and problems. Find out their joys and rejoice with them. Find out what they enjoy and strive to do that for / with them. Most of all, to love someone is to pray for and with them. When you pray for them, communicate with them and reassure them that you've talked to the Ultimate Friend on their behalf. That is something I try to do on occasion. I remember one friend in particular who sent me a facebook message to let me know he was praying for me. What an encouragement! That act of kindness and love has stuck with me for a long time. In fact, now that I think about it, (according to our mutual schedules) our paths should cross in the next few weeks. I think I'll remind that friend of that word of encouragement and thank him ~ again ~ for it; maybe this time with a cup of coffee. Now, imagine your phone ringing and when you look at the caller ID, you sigh an impatient sigh. Or perhaps you think to yourself, I really don't want to talk to him right now. I'll call back ~ and conveniently forget. When you see that person in a public place (Heaven forbid it be the church), do you tend to look the other way and hope they don't see you? Does eye contact make you uncomfortable? What if God had felt that way about you? God tells us to love one another. He teaches us that our Christianity will be revealed to others by our love (John 13:35). We are taught to strive to be like Christ. He loves us unconditionally. In fact, Romans 5 teaches us that even in our most unlovely state, He loved us enough to die for us (Romans 5:8). When we are the most intolerable, He loves us. As you consider your friends, have you prayed for them today ~ this week ~ this month? Are you communicating love for your friends or merely a tolerance? Do you feel tolerated or loved?