People Are Complicated, So Love Them

A close friend of mine reminded me of this the other day—people are complicated. Here’s the definition of complicated:

Complicated: consisting of many interconnecting parts or elements; intricate.

Does that sound like anyone you know?

For a moment, let’s imagine someone who is 50 years old. That person has already lived half of a century. (Let alone someone who is 90 years old!). And just at 50, that person has lived a long time and has had the opportunity to experience the good, bad and the ugly of life.

Today, this 50 year old person that I’m describing is the sum of all that they have seen, experienced, walked through, dealt with, etc. They respond, react, cry, laugh, get upset, feel, think, believe, and process life and form opinions based on how they have spent these last 50 years.

I am complicated (intricately made). You are complicated. Where am I going with this? I feel that (at 45 years old), I have finally reached a point in my life that it’s not my job to figure everyone out, where they are coming from, why did they do this or that, how come they get so offended, why they got so happy, why they are so sad, etc. I love to help people yes, but it’s more than that. It’s understanding that every single one of us are:

“…fearfully and wonderfully made” Psalm 139:14

Give people a break. Quit trying to get everyone to think and feel like you. Love people. Let the love of Jesus flow in you and through you to others so that you will see people the way God sees them not how you want them to be.

Read 1 Corinthians 13 again. People need your love, that’s the secret to it all. If they reject your love—keep loving.

On the flip side of this, we all need to take our lives and hold them up before the Lord—understanding that you are the sum of your entire life—and say, “Jesus, here’s my life. Every last little detail. Every hidden thought within my heart. Every secret. Every pain, trauma and hurt. Here’s my upbringing. Here’s my fears and my joys. Here’s my ugly parts. Here’s my complicated, fearfully wonderfully made life. Any part of this life, Jesus, that is not yielded to You, take it. I want to be free of all the hindrances in my life and all those things that continually try to tether me to this world. I want Heaven’s joy, peace and love to fill me day after day. I want to be filled with the glory of the Lord!”

The bottom line? People need a radical encounter(s) with the love of God for themselves. Pastors, teachers, apostles, prophets, evangelists, and everyone in between, help equip you to encounter more of God. But until YOU have your own deep, personal encounter(s) with God’s love, things will stay the same for you. Seek Him with ALL OF YOUR HEART and you WILL find Him, I promise.

Today, see yourself and others through the Father’s eyes of pure love.

Ryan Bruss, Director 
It’s Supernatural School of Ministry