VALENTINE BUGS

But I say to you, Love your enemies - Matthew 5:44a (ESV)

      It was a few days before Valentines day and Mindy Miller was having a horrible day. “Maybe Stella can help me find a way out of doing it.” she thought to herself as she pounded on the Peterson's back door. After what seemed like ages, the door opened and she was greeted by a friendly “Hi Indy.” by Stella's Grandpa.

     “Indy who?” Mindy snapped. “Indy five hundred, that's who.” Robert Grey answered and than started laughing. “You're weird” Mindy told him, “And, why do you keep calling me Indy?” “I guess I just have trouble telling you and your sister apart.” Robert told Mindy. “Well, it's not that hard,” Mindy said in disgust, “I'm the one that is blue.”

     “Now that you mention it.” Robert said, “You do seem a bit sad.” “I meant I was wearing blue.” Mindy snapped back, “Is Stella here?” “Well, why don't you wear red?” Robert asked as if he never heard Mindy's question, “I think red would look great on you, besides, it is almost Valentines day. Yes, I think you should wear red.”

     “Red!” Mindy shouted in disgust, “That's the color Cindy wears. Besides, I don't like red because I don't like Valentines Day.” “What's wrong with Valentines Day?” Robert protested, “It's a wonderful day.” “Not when you have to give ooey gooey cards to boys like Harold which you don't love.” Mindy complained, “Why in the world do we have to give them?”

     “Who's making you give them?” Robert asked “My teacher, for starters.” Mindy replied, “She says it tradition for everybody in class to give one to everybody else.” “I remember doing that.” Robert said with a smile, “And if I remember correctly, I couldn’t stand giving them to the girls. How could anybody love a girl?”

     “What's wrong with girls?” Mindy protested, “Boys are the problem. “So,” Robert said not wanting to argue about boys or girls, “Who else is making you give valentines cards?” “My parents!” Mindy scowled, “They said God wants us to love everybody.”

      “So, you're going to give valentine cards to everyone?” Robert asked. “Are you CRAZY?” Mindy blurted out, “I'm giving them bugs. Disgusting Valentine bugs.” "Well,” Robert smile, “If I know boys, they will probably like bugs better than an ooey gooey card.”

     “What?” Mindy shouted when she heard that, “You mean I would be doing something nice to them? AAAAUUUUGGGGHHHH. I'm doomed, doomed, doomed. What am I going to do with all of these.... AAAAUUUUGGGGHHHH the bugs got loose and they're crawling all over me.” And with those words, Mindy took off on a run.

     Let's start by talking about donkeys or should I say taking care of donkeys. Exodus 23:4-5 reads If you see your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering away, you must return it to him. If you see that your enemy’s donkey has fallen because its load is too heavy, do not leave it there. You must help your enemy get the donkey back on its feet. (NCV) You see, taking care of donkeys, especially those of your enemy was ordered by God and if you were to stop and think about it,we could substitute the donkey for many other things. Showing kindness, even to ones enemies, is one way to show love and the day we tend to celebrate love on is just around the corner.

     Now it's easy to be kind and loving towards those who are nice to us but what about those who are not, those we might want to consider our enemies. Let's look at how Joseph, Moses and David acted.

• Genesis 45:1-11 - So Joseph said to them, “Come close to me.“ When the brothers came close to him, he said to them, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold as a slave to go to Egypt. Now don’t be worried or angry with yourselves because you sold me here. God sent me here ahead of you to save people’s lives. … I will care for you during the next five years of hunger so that you and your family and all that you have will not starve.’ (NCV) - Joseph was treated meanly by his brothers. He could have been mean back.
• Numbers 12:1-13 - Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife (he had married a Cushite). … The LORD was very angry with them, and he left. When the cloud lifted from the Tent and Aaron turned toward Miriam, she was as white as snow; she had a skin disease. Aaron said to Moses, “Please, my master, forgive us for our foolish sin. Don’t let her be like a baby who is born dead. So Moses cried out to the LORD, “God, please heal her!” (NCV) – Moses was treated meanly by his brother and sister. He didn't have to pray for his sister's healing.
• 1 Samuel 24:2-10 So he (King Saul) took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and began looking for David and his men near the Rocks of the Wild Goats. Saul came to the sheep pens beside the road. A cave was there, and he went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were hiding far back in the cave. The men said to David, “Today is the day the LORD spoke of when he said, ’I will give your enemy over to you. Do anything you want with him.’ “ Then David crept up to Saul and quietly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. … When David came out of the cave, he shouted to Saul, “My master and king!“ … The LORD put you in my power in the cave. They said I should kill you, but I was merciful. I said, ’I won’t harm my master, because he is the LORD’S appointed king.’ (NCV) – Saul was looking for David to kill him and had already tried once before. David could have killed Saul to protect his own life.

     What would you have done if you had been in any of these men's spots.

• Jesus said - This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. - John 15:12 (ESV)

     That may be easy if they're not against you but.....

• Proverbs 24:17 - Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, (ESV)
• 1 Thessalonians 5:15 - See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. (ESV)
• Matthew 5:44 - But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, (ESV)
• Luke 6:35 - But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. (ESV)

     Here's Something To Ponder

• Are you a person that is lovable by all?
• Do you love the unlovable as God does?