We Are Not Lovable

"Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man." John 2:24-25

Humans have a difficult time understanding how to love as God loves. Too often humans translate this kind of love as turning a blind eye to the truth of human Character. We live in a kind of denial about ourselves, our loved ones, our communities and the world thinking that this is how love works. The truth is, humans are deeply flawed and corrupt. Paul writes in Romans 3 that our throats are an open grave and the poison of asps is on our lips. In the scripture above, even though Jesus came to give his life for people He did not trust us because He knew how deeply flawed we are. One week before the crowd shouts to crucify Him those same people were shouting Hosanna to the King. 

God does not love us because we are lovable. He loves us because He is love. It is His nature, thankfully for us. As we are called to love people we must do so acknowledging the full truth about ourselves, our families, friends, communities and the whole world. "There is none righteous. Not even one. Everyone has turned to his own way." Humans are deeply flawed, selfish and unreliable. Our actions cause friction in the world around us. Our footprints in the world stomp on others. Our hearts are desperately wicked. This is reflected in the world we occupy with all the conflicts, hate, murders, assaults, corruptions, self interests, controlling of others, accidents we cause by our inattention to how we impact others, etc. It is difficult for us to be otherwise as this is our true nature.

It takes a God to love people because we are not lovable. Even after His Holy Spirit comes to live in us the road of transformation from our true nature into the nature of Christ takes a lifetime.