Lovin’ Ain’t Easy
Have you ever seen two people in love that just didn’t seem like they fit together? You might believe that their relationship is authentic you just would have never picked them as partners for each other.
I once heard a story of a young man from the town of Normal Illinois who fell in love and married a young lady from another city in his state, Oblong Illinois. Of course it was announced in the news paper, “Normal Boy Marries Oblong Girl.”
It is this kind of uncommon love that we see exemplified In 2 Samuel 9. David was prophesied to be the king of Israel and now sits on it’s throne. Of course it was given to him after a failure from his predecessor Saul. Saul at times hated David and even tried to kill him, because it was his desire for his son Jonathan to be the next king.
Fast forward and David because of his friendship with Jonathan wanted to do good to any of Jonathans living relatives. This wasn’t normal! Typically speaking a king would want to kill off anyone who might make a claim to the throne when replacing a king.
David was told of Jonathans son, Maphiboseth and instructs his servants to go get him from Lo-debar (the bad side of town). David shows uncommon radical love to this young man. Giving him status, wealth and honor.
So is true for us as followers of Jesus. We are called to love people who our culture deems “unlovable”. Jesus himself took it as far in Luke 6 to say to love our enemies. This isn’t always easy or comfortable but it is always right.
To love the unlovable first we have to consider others and their situation. David thought about others, even those he would have been expected to not love. Do we ever take time to consider those around us and show them love? What about our annoying classmate or awkward coworker? Have we taken time to consider or think about those who our society has outcast?
Philippians 2:3-4 tells us to consider others and not worry about our needs as much as we do the needs of those around us. Do we truly think of others first? When someone cuts us off in traffic are we quick to flip the bird instead of showing them grace? When we think of the homeless or the addict do we see them only as a problem or do we look at them in love?
David didn’t stop at his consideration of Maphiboseth but took action! We must not allow excuses to keep us from loving others as Jesus would have us too! Might it be awkward or uncomfortable? Most definitely our uncomfortability doesn’t change the necessity! What a small thing to give up is our comfort, for the sake of loving others well.
Ultimately David loved Maphiboseth not because of what he brought to the table, but because of who his father was. What a beautiful picture of Christ-likeness this is for we too are called to love the broken and unloved because of our father and what he has done in us. This is our motivation to see and take action to love even the most difficult to love around us.
