There is a story in the bible about a man (a prophet of God) named Jonah. The bible says that the Lord spoke; told him to go; told him why, and Jonah went out of his way, twenty five hundred miles out of his way, but the opposite way!   The bible says that Jonah fled from the Lord.  Why?  Because he didn’t like the people God was sending him to share the truth of His love and mercy with.

Let’s be honest, we all have difficult people in our lives.  I will go even a step further and say probably some of those people - it’s difficult to like them.  Doesn’t sound very Christian I know, but Jesus knew this about our human  nature, why else would He command us “to love our enemies?” 

(cf. Matt. 5: 44)  He didn’t say we had to like them, He didn’t say we had to condone what they did or what they stood for, He didn’t say they had to become our “best buds”, He simply said “to love.”   The greatest manifestation of love is to share the love and truth of Jesus Christ - that He came to save sinners.  The bible is very clear “ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (cf. Romans 3: 23)  So it seems that we are all in the “same boat,” like it or not.  And Jesus’ business is to save people from “drowning,” so His business becomes our business as Christ followers.  

So lets quit running from and avoiding those “unlikeable” people in our lives.  The mission of Jonah was the same mission Jesus has given you and me today - go and share My truth - “And this is the testimony; that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.” (cf. 1 John 5:11)

In His Service,

Pastor Rodney