People.

People.  Oh they can drive you downright batty.  I mean, let's face it--the human race is a pretty annoying breed.  And that makes that whole "greatest command" business pretty tricky...  some people are just hard to love.  At least all the time...

Have I mentioned yet that this pregnancy has really limited my patience levels?  I'm still not preggo-zilla, but I definitely and acutely recognize how easily I get annoyed these days, how "thin my skin is", how silly people are.

I know people feel this way about me too.  It would be so grand if the whole human race could just be pleasant to one another and only do and say things that everyone likes and agrees with.  But then where would the interest and variety and reality be?

The most incredible thing on this planet is us humans though.  Because if you look all the way back to the beginning, up in the front in Genesis (chapter 2 specifically), you see this:  26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness...27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."  So here on this chaotic, crazy, messed-up and annoying world, here we stand and live, created in the image of the Almighty Triune God.  Wow.  That should make people seem less annoying, right?

This week, we're at Encounter with our high school youth group kids.  The theme of the week is "Revolution"--discussing some hot topic questions and discerning the truth about them (vs what the world has taught us, what our traditions and church habits have taught us, what our comfort zones have taught us, what our government, society, schools...anything but the Word of God...have taught us).  Because when you start with the truth and it's rooted in love--you finish in a place of truth and love.  

My deepest yearning and prayer this week is for my heart to break for people.  That I (and these kids) will be pricked to change...to wear the name of Christ boldly through our words and actions.  That we can help reunite the name of Christianity with its root and definition--love.  

So even the people who are hardest to love...especially the people who are hardest to love...Lord give me your eyes to see your image on them, to see the person you created, designed, and deeply love.

And the world will know we are Christians by our love...  

Lord, help my life leak your love abundantly.