Every day a man goes to a well down the street. He fills up a bucket of water, brings it back to his humble abode, pours it into a basin, and uses it throughout the day for refreshment. For years he’s noticed that the water tastes bitter and is getting worse with time. His health has also degraded over time. But, que sera, sera (what will be, will be), the man thinks nothing of it and fails to make any connection between the tainted water and his failing health.

If this man would just stop beating the same path to the well and choose wisdom over convenience, his health might actually turn around. But as the story goes, he never does, so he dies at an early age from complications related to drinking polluted water for fifty years. If he had only spent just a little time investigating other options, considering his life and vitality might improve if he dipped into a different well, he would likely still be alive. Instead, he died a slow, painful death as the toxins in his system beat his poor body into submission, all the way to death.

The story above is a parable depicting a lot of people I’ve known. It’s a physical analogy of a spiritual disease. The disease advances as a result of laziness and ignorance. I’ve known an abundance of people who are truly nice to be around, but they are lazy, and because of their resultant ignorance, are slowly dying inside. It’s heartbreaking because no matter how many times I’ve reached out, or even preached sermons, with the fullness of God the Holy Spirit spitting out passionate encouragement to “Wake up,” I just can’t seem to break through!

The more I love, the more I want to help. The more I open up, the more vulnerable I am to the pain of being rejected. My conclusion is that the more I love, the more pain I will endure. Is it worth it in the end? That’s a good question. My inspiration for emphatically saying “Yes!” is from no one other than Christ, Himself.

For he grew up before him like a young plant,
        and like a root out of dry ground;
     he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
        and no beauty that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by men,
        a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
     and as one from whom men hide their faces
        he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he has borne our griefs
        and carried our sorrows;
     yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions;
        he was crushed for our iniquities;
     upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
— Isaiah 53:2-5

This world will never know another love like Christ’s. He loved so much and yet the world despised Him! He wanted nothing more than to save all the lost (Luke 19:10), but instead He was stricken with grief at a magnitude that we cannot fathom. He wept over those who rejected Him. Christ’s grief was proportional to His love. How agonizing must His life have been on Earth? Might we relate in some small way? Indeed.

The encouraging piece is that not all love is lost. Some love bears a different type of fruit, where receivers humbly accept what it gives. Quite often, the greatest expression of love is to help a fellow believer orient to God’s commandments. This is accomplished with a simple change in perspective that often begins with a reminder to obey (let’s face it, we all lose our way from time to time, some more than others, based on spiritual maturity). Well-received love is what makes it all worth it in the end. Not everyone rejects our love, just like not everyone rejects Christ’s.

King David clung to Christ’s love with every fiber of his being (most of the time, it seems). We can learn a lot from him. Like us, David was constantly assaulted by the world. The kingdom of darkness tempted and tortured him relentlessly. When he was righteously oriented to God, he turned to Him for all things (emphasis on “all”).

O LORD, I call upon you; hasten to me!
        Give ear to my voice when I call to you!
Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
        and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!

Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
        keep watch over the door of my lips!
Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
        to busy myself with wicked deeds
     in company with men who work iniquity,
        and let me not eat of their delicacies!

Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;
        let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;
        let my head not refuse it.
     Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
When their judges are thrown over the cliff,
        then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.

As when one plows and breaks up the earth,
        so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
But my eyes are toward you, O GOD, my Lord;
        in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!

Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me
        and from the snares of evildoers!
Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I pass by safely.
— Psalm 141

I hope that while Christ is your inspiration to love with abandon, David’s example serves as a second form of motivation. Your love for others will be welcomed by some with open arms. If you love like Christ, though, you might as well accept the simple fact right now that you will be hurt. The more you love, the more you will hurt. But, my dear friend, do not be discouraged - it truly is worth it.

It’s a privilege to love others. It’s a blessing, actually. Dwell on that instead of the pain that comes with it. Understand that the pain is a function of the love. Make disciples, not just converts (Matthew 28:19) - love believers for their whole journey, encouraging them with the Word of Truth. Keep loving, even in the face of rejection and possible persecution.

Remember Stephen:

And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
— Acts 7:59-60

Moreover, remember Jesus:

And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
— Luke 23:33-34

Love in Christ,

Ed Collins