It's a Thin Line

Captured!  Carbon and Captain tolerating each other's presence.

Normally they hiss and spit at each other.  Captain seems to genuinely want to play with Carbon, and secretly, I suspect she likes his attention.  But mostly, they behave with deep hatred toward the other. Yet, it is clear they both enjoy the lounge chair.

Every now and then, I meet someone who is more difficult to like than others.  I want to avoid them and look anywhere but at their eyes.  Most likely, the truth is we have more in common than what opposes us.  It's entirely possible that I annoy others as well (what?!).

Often we need to intentionally put aside our hard feelings toward others.  If we wish they were more of something and less of something else, that isn't as important as who they are right now.  After all, Jesus loves us where we are - and who we are - at this moment.  It is not our perfection or obedience that makes us love us.  In fact, there is nothing we can say, do, or be that makes Him love us.  He just loves us.  It is not dependent on anything other than our being.

If we applied that outlook of unconditional love and acceptance toward others more often, we may even be able to share the same seating arrangement, relax and even enjoy each other a bit.  But the only way we can do that is through the flow of love that Jesus first gives us.  It is supernatural, and our humble submission and admittance of imperfection to the King allows our powerful God to fill us up in ways we can't control or even comprehend.