We all have at least person we're not comfortable with. We have our own ideas about the people we like to talk to, hang out with, and do good to. We all choose the people we make friends with, whether we care to admit it or not.
All of us who believe in Christ, despite all the things I mentioned above, are also commanded to preach the Gospel to all of creation, regardless of tribe, tongue, color, race, and style (see Mark 16:15). We are told to shine the light of God to all men so that they would glorify our Father in heaven (see Matthew 5:16). We are all told to love others with the love that we receive from Christ (see John 15:12).
In light of this, many of us wonder how are we going to reach out to the people we don't like. How are we going to show God's love to the people we are actually "allergic" to? How are we going to preach the Gospel to a people we think won't listen to us?
The answer is found in the One who did that to us – Jesus Christ.
Love for the unlikeable
Christ Jesus reached out to a people who we can't even imagine reaching out to: ourselves. The Bible tells us that all men have sinned, and this sin causes us to fall short of God's glory (see Romans 3:23). Our sins have separated us from a holy God in whom there is no sin or darkness (see Isaiah 59:2; 1 John 1:5). Because He is holy, righteous and just, He can't tolerate sin.
Still, even if we are the most unlikeable of all, God loved us. In fact, God loved us so much. So much that He gave up His only begotten Son so that He could show us His love (see John 3:16).
And what kind of love is that? What kind of love would God have for all of us who are dirty and filthy in His sight?
A love that washes us clean from sin, sets us free from sin's captivity, adopts us and calls us His own children, and that can never ever be taken away from us. (see 1 John 1:7; Romans 6; 1 John 3:1; Romans 8:38-39)
How should this help us
Friends, the Bible tells us that Christ died for us while we were still sinners (see Romans 5:8). We must never forget that we were truly unlikeable in the eyes of God. Even if we were made in His image (and originally "good" in God's eyes according to Genesis 1:31), sin made us ugly.
God, however, loved us. He wants all men to be saved (see 1 Timothy 2:4), and when saved, to journey on the path to becoming like Christ (see Romans 8:28-30). No one is perfect, but God wants to bring to perfection all who believe (see Philippians 3:12-14; Hebrews 6:1).
Let's allow the love of Christ motivate and empower us to reach out to those we really don't like. It's not about our preferences anyway; it's about Him who lived, died, and rose again.
