The heroism of love

For the past few months, I've been starting most of my days with a few words from Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892), an Englishman known as "The Prince of Preachers" (at least according to the back of this book).

When I read today's entry, I thought to myself, "What a good and challenging message. I should post that on my blog - it might be exactly what someone needs to read." I read a few lines over again and immediately felt like a bit of an idiot. These words were exactly what I needed to read, especially as I prepared to spend time with the teenage girls at my church this afternoon. I needed to be reminded of these words repeatedly throughout the day - while I was sweeping up a mess made by some college students who invaded our Birmingham YouthWorks site this weekend, as I was getting frustrated with community contacts, and again as I drove to church thinking about these girls who simultaneously drive me crazy and break my heart.

I post Spurgeon's words here now, in hopes that they might challenge you, but also in hopes that they might somehow work their way deeper and deeper into my heart and life:

... perhaps you say, "I cannot love my neighbors, because, for all I do for them, they return ingratitude and contempt." That leaves more room for the heroism of love. Would you be a featherweight warrior, instead of bearing the rough fight of love? He who dares the most will win the most. If your path of love is rough, tread it boldly, still loving your neighbors through thick and thin. "Heap coals of fire on [their heads]" (Romans 12:20), and if they are hard to please, do not seek to please them, but to please your Master. Remember, if they spurn your love, your Master has not spurned it, and your actions are as acceptable to Him as if they had been acceptable to them. Love your neighbor, for, in so doing, you are following the footsteps of Christ. (Morning by Morning, pg. 80.)