“Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Deuteronomy 10:19
“These things I command you, that ye love one another.” John 15:17
March 4, 2024 - “I joked about every prominent man of my time, but I never met a man I didn't like” was a famous quote by Will Rogers. And as much as I admire Will Rogers, I never understood why this quote is so widely admired. I‘ve never read a scripture that reads, “Thou shalt like thy neighbor.”
Every neighbor we have is an eternal soul and will live forever… somewhere. Saying I don’t love someone is like saying I don’t care where they go when they die. When there was nothing to like about us, Jesus loved us enough to die for us. And all who truly love God love their fellow man, too.
But unlike Will Rogers, I’ve met folks I didn’t like and there have been times that I didn’t even like myself. When my habits and disposition aren’t noble, I don’t expect to be liked.
We can’t like everyone – and it’s silly to try. But we can love and be kind to everyone…
… especially those who are not likable.
