what has love got to do with it?

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth (1 John 3:18 - NIV). My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth (KJV). I was watching the program on KQED last night, 9/15/09, all about love. What has love got to do with it? Love is not merely an emotion that we feel. The Bible teaches us that God IS love. What does that mean to you? God said, "dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another (1 John 4:11) Who is "one another"? Do I have to love the unloveable? What about those co-workers who gossip and slander you at work? Do I have to love them? The Bible teaches us the Great Commandment: "Lord the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength; and love your neighbor as yourself." I suppose as Christians we need to love all people no matter if they will be in Heaven with us for all eternity or not.

Dang, it is so hard to love others when it appears they hate you and talk bad about you but hey, God calls us to love them. God still loves us unconditionally no matter how we sin. This is so hard to understand how an infinite God can love us. How are we so different from the world? We lie, steal, lust, envy, covet etc...

My prayer is "Lord help me to love others like you love me, help and empower me to love You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. Empower me by Your Spirit to love my neighbor no matter how they behave. Lord I express and acknowledge my weaknesses in this area. Fill those areas with compassion, humility and strength. I fail miserably everyday. Let my light shine before men so that You may be glorified. I do not preach myself but You Lord. Thank you for your grace and mercy in Jesus' name I pray. Amen."