Love

But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you.  Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong.

Matthew 5:44-45 (CEV)

Love seems to be the lost art.  Even for Christ followers we forget to love.  Oh, we can love those who do good things for us.  And we can love those who are kind to us.  We are quick to love those who are pleasant around us.  But we need to be reminded of Jesus words.  If we are to be followers of His we must love those who abuse us.  Who persecute us and mistreat us.  I love how the CEV translates this passage, so that we can be like the Father.  He does good to all.  The sun rises on the good and bad.  He provides rain for those who do right and wrong.  The lesson for us here is that we need to show love even to those hardest to love.  We may break through their tough exterior and they may see the truth of the gospel.  Regardless, our call is to be like the Father, not like those who mistreat us.  It is a hard thing to do but for the Christ follower, we should seek to be like Jesus!