"Love Your Neighbor as Yourself"

This is a really tough verse. I mean, there are a LOT of annoying people out there! There's those girls in class that gossip and talk bad about their moms during break, and that grumpy dude across the street who yells at you whenever you get even close to his grass. Not to mention how hard it is to love your siblings sometimes. So how come God wants us to love everybody as much as we love ourselves? Okay. Think of it this way. God loves us. A whole ton. I mean, imagine telling your son to go and die! I mean, that's CRAZY! But think. God asks us to do some specific things, but we sin, and hurt God horribly. And yet He still loves us! That's true love. The awesome thing is, even though we do this to God, he still loves us. So loving those annoying people is showing them God's love through yourself.
So now we know why, but how? How can you possibly put up with these guys, not to mention love them? Sometimes we can just think before we speak. Some people do stuff that can be annoying or mean just for attention. So maybe just a simple compliment. "Hey Ann, nice skirt!" or "I like that hairstyle on you." Can be enough to get their attention. Sometimes, people simply won't be loved. In those cases, pray for them. And ignoring them is sometimes necessary. It's tough, but biting your tongue and not retaliating is what God wants. We are to show His love through loving those people. Here is a story I think can encourage you:
Once there was a bus driver. He hated his job, he was a horrid grump. Every morning a woman would get on his bus, smile and wish him a good morning. The man was puzzled. No matter how grouchy he was, she was always smiling. He began to realize he wanted that. He noticed that she always carried a book with her with Holy Bible written on it. So he went out and bought one for himself. By reading that Bible, he was later led to Christ.
You see? You radiating God's love can show others Him! We are God's workers, working to bring more people to him.
XOXO,
Brooke
P.S. Please be praying for me as I put up with some tough people in my own life!
VERSE: A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly. -Proverbs 15:13-14