Scorn and love do not usually work together side by side. Love evokes tender affection while scorn openly mocks in contempt. Working your way in public service gives opportunity for both. It’s all good when you like the ones you’re serving and they like you, but serving difficult people in difficult situations is trying to the soul, a test in a public court of sorts, with an imaginary gavel ready to rule pass or fail.
One such time I was the last link in a series of unfortunate events. Unfortunately for me, the person I was trying to serve seemed to revel in conflict, the scrutiny, and the icy words. I managed to keep polite and humble, as I trust those virtues in the end prove best, but the situation wasn’t improving and I wanted to have a good cry. When things eventually settled down a bit, I had some time to fancy God did not love me very much, because if He did, I wouldn’t have had to be in that place. How could He let me stumble into that situation, unprotected? I was completely and thoroughly distressed.
I’m sure I had a point with myself, but I learned something there in those moments that I could not have learned any other way. The person who had been so rude indeed was a person, like me, that Jesus loved. I knew but a taste of the scorn and ridicule that Jesus gave Himself to in suffering, the undeserved shame He withstood because He desired to communicate the love of God and to make way for reconciliation. I came incomparably short of being spit at and crowned with thorns. Jesus was the Upper Room waiter who bent in love to wash the disciples’ feet, yet had one unhappy customer at the table. (John 13) I was newly struck that God proved His love through Jesus not by merely signing a contract or making an appearance at a ceremony, “but God (demonstrated) his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) He came for me, and endured public shame and scorn to have me, and to have you.
I felt love. Like the love that warmed the heart of the Grinch when he realized Christmas was more than things. I felt a bit more of my heart opening to see the sufferings of Christ, as well as the joy set before Him after enduring the cross. (Hebrews 12:2) I beheld a portion more of that great manner of love the Father has given unto us, that we should be called the sons of God. (1 John 3:1)
This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:10)
I will see conflict in a new light. There is still joy set before Christ each time a wayward soul experiences God’s love demonstrated. So, while meeting and overtaking an unlovable person in debate takes a great amount of skill and command, loving the unlovable takes, well, love.
And I have discovered there is an app for that.
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