We can love everyone!

"We can only truly love people who are different, we can only discover that difference is a treasure and not a threat, if in some way our hearts are becoming enfolded in the heart of the Father, if somewhere God is putting into our broken hearts that love that is in God's own heart for each and every human being. For God is truly in love with people, and with every individual human being."

- Jean Vanier, From Brokenness to Community

John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Notice, this verse says that God loved THE WORLD, not just some parts of the world, not just certain people but the WHOLE WORLD. To be honest, this is difficult for me to get my mind around. To me, this means every person on this planet, regardless of where they live, where they've been or what they've done. That is a lot of people! I agree with this quote by Mr. Vanier, that we can only love others when God puts the love in our hearts that He already has for every single human being.

What an amazing, crazy, illogical love that He gave his one and only son, Jesus Christ, to die for EVERY PERSON in the world. If we believe in Him, we will "never perish but have eternal life." Also notice the "whoever" in this verse.....not just "some people" who believe in Him, but anyone who believes in Him. Salvation through Jesus Christ is God's free gift to every single person on this planet.

Can you imagine how it must have broken God's heart to watch His son die on the cross for us, by taking on the sins of the entire world? How difficult it must have been for Him to hear Jesus cry out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" That is how much he loves each and every person in the WHOLE World, He gave the life of His own son so that we could be saved!

Wow!

I am praying that God will give me the love that He has, for ALL people. I want to be able to see others the way God sees them and truly love them the way God loves them! I know me and I know I can only do this through the power of the Holy Spirit residing inside of me, not through my own strength!