Today, as I was visiting with my neighbor and helping her with her Bible study, a thought came to mind. Actually, many thoughts have been running through my head for the past few weeks, as I continue to try to understand people, especially a friend who claims to be a Christian, and how they have treated me recently. The Bible clearly says to love your neighbor as yourself, as I have written about in my last post.
Another friend of mine came to visit today, and he treats me much better than said alleged Christian friend mentioned above. So, the question becomes, for me at least, what happens when one Christian transgresses against a Christian friend, when the transgression is related to the other person’s past that hasn’t been dealt with? Is that what is meant to not cause others to stumble? I don’t know, I’m asking.
As I was leaving my friend’s house earlier, she mentioned that she had to do dishes, and that she prefers to use paper plates. What I’m pretty sure of is that we aren’t to treat people like they are disposable. If you don’t like what someone has done or said, you don’t just “want nothing to do with them.” That seems to me to be a very worldly view at the least, and a very destructive view at best; and certainly not the attitude we, as Christians, should adopt.
Jesus says “Love your neighbor”. This isn’t a suggestion, and He doesn’t add the caveat “if they do what you think they should do, and act like you think they should act.” No, we are to show them love because of the great love that God shows us. My concern for my friend who has shunned me from having anything to do with her is that all that anger and lack of compassion and all that negative stuff she has never dealt with in her life will grow and compound and destroy her.
As a friend, and especially a Christian friend, I want to reach out to her and let her know that I am not a paper person. I’m a unique person, and God has put me in her life for a reason, and it’s not that she throws me away. It’s challenging to like her at this point, but I do love her, as Jesus has commanded me to do that.
Every single person on this planet is unique in their own way, and if that’s not enough for you to believe in God, I don’t know what is. My point is that we are not, as people, able to be replaced. Paper plates that you buy all look the same, and are interchangeable with each other, whereas people are not. My hopes, dreams, desires, feelings, …etc. are different from yours, but to negate my feelings because I have made a mistake is not a valid reason for her to throw me away. I am experiencing hurt from someone that I trusted and considered a friend, so please pray for me. And her.
