Peopling

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13: 34-35

The other day I found myself saying, “I’m done with peopling.” I was at the end of my patience, frustrated, hurt and ready to move to a deserted island. Have you ever felt that way?

Then as I was telling God about it, He responded by telling me that He has called me to people. To be involved with others. To experience all that peopling entails and that through it, He will refine me. How else would I develop patience if it wasn’t tested regularly? How else would I learn to forgive if I wasn’t given opportunities to forgive like God has forgiven me? How else would I develop compassion for the hurting if I didn’t know what it felt like to be rejected, unloved and judged?

Peopling is hard. It gets right down in the muck and mire and presses every button I have. Often it’s painful and makes me wonder if it’s worth the effort. But since God has called me and all believers to it, He has also made a way for us to do it.

I thought of how loving and graceful God is with me when I’m peopling and I was truly grateful that He feels I’m worth the effort. He always forgives. He always loves. He always gives me another chance and then another one and another one. Which means that I can do the same for others.

I want to be known as His and to do that, I need to love people even when they are peopling.