The Love of Christ

As a sidewalk counselor with Cities4Life at the Southeast's busiest abortion center, my team and I endure many struggles. One of the the more aggravating ones is a group of "pro-choice" protesters. They have become particularly aggressive in the past couple of months. They block our legally sanctioned sound system with foam blocks, they follow us with cowbells or whistles drowning out our calls and offers of help to the abortion minded women, or they chant loudly right on our heels to try to distract and confuse us.

One of the most vocal and antagonistic has decided to call it quits. She had been the cause of many police warnings, and even the abortion center had grown weary of her tactics. One of our group members noticed that this woman had started a "Go-fund-me" money raising campaign on Facebook so that she could afford to return home, to a state quite a distance from here.

I was flabbergasted as I saw the donations pour in...from my friends and fellow Christians. Not one of the comments that accompanied the donation was unkind. Each comment was filled with genuine concern and love for this woman who had made our lives on the sidewalk miserable, and had likely  thwarted some conflicted women from choosing life for their babies. Every donor's comment pointed this woman to Jesus, with a little testimony of how much Jesus had changed his or her own life.

As I read the comments, I cried. This is what the love of Jesus looks like. We are commanded to love our enemies, and by so doing "heap hot coals on their head." I believe that verse means that the conviction of God becomes a burning mass in the heart and soul of the enemy such that he can no longer ignore the reality, the truth of God. This is how you change the culture. Not with hate. Not with violence. Not with threats. You change it with the love of Christ.

I could not donate much, given our extreme financial struggle with cancer and recent events in my life, but I felt I had to donate some. This woman has done untold damage to countless abortion-minded women and their babies...but she still has a soul that is loved by God and that He longs to reclaim. God is love, and I am made in His image.
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Luke 6:27 

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

Matthew 5:44 

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

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My new book about dealing with adversity with joy and even laughter (possible ONLY with Christ) is now available in print and e-book HERE. One woman battling cancer told me it totally changed her perspective as she faced devastating news. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!