i don't have to LIKE...

Have you ever heard this:

"I have to love (insert person's name), but I don't have to like them."

Well that has always bothered me. How is that possible?
I'm not saying I love people perfectly, I'm just saying that the phrase doesn't make sense.
This sunday John MacArthur was reading through Romans (the weekly pre-sermon reading of the Word)
He happened to read this passage which reminded me of the above phrase:

Romans 12:10: "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves."

There are a couple of words/phrases that shoot down the "i don't have to like" statement.

1. "Be devoted" : Usually, when someone says "i love them, but i don't have to like them" it is usually accompanied with a statement about not having to be around them, or not having to be friends with them. Well "Be devoted" is a command that would make that idea impossible.

2. "brotherly love" : This idea is more than friendship. It is a strong family tie. This also knocks down "i don't have to be friends..."

3. "honor one another above yourselves" : This is pretty much self-explanatory. "above yourselves"... Honestly... this doesn't mean saying "well they don't like me either, so i'm loving them by not hanging out with them." No, what it means is that you are loving them and serving them in a self-sacrificing way that would cause a loving response.

Think about it... we were enemies of God. What did he do? Unleash a furious, righteous wrath on us? Nope, He unleashed a furious, righteous wrath on Christ because of His love... and yes, that means He LIKES us too.


(photo: my friend b.j., i like him)