Just The Way You Are

In 1977 Billy Joel had a top ten song, Just The Way You Are.  The lyrics were:  "’Don't go changing to try and please me, You never let me down before.  Don't imagine you're too familiar, And I don't see you anymore.  I wouldn't leave you in times of trouble, We never could have come this far.  I took the good times; I'll take the bad times.  I'll take you just the way you are.’  

During Valentines we think about those we really love.  Those that are easy to love and we want to be around.  There are also people who are hard to love.  Some of them may be blood, neighbors, coworkers, classmates, etc.  No matter how hard they are to love, we are to love them.  Luke 6: 35, “But love your enemies, do good to them…”

Sometimes the hardest person to love is ourselves.  Why?  Because we know everything about ourselves and every bad thing we have done.  Ephesians 2: 4-5, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”  If you knew everything I have done you probably would not be reading this.  Ecclesiastes 7: 20, “Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.”  Sometimes we think it is impossible for God to love us. I am so grateful that God is so generous with His grace, His mercy, His forgiveness and His love endures forever!  

1 John 3: 1, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!” I heard a pastor say that God is not in love with our future self, He loves us just the way we are.  God meets us where we are and He loves us enough to change us, making us more like Him.  

As we read our one year Bible, we will see how God loves people just the way they are.  Let us grow in Him, becoming more like Him and see ourselves as a child of God.    

Happy Valentines!  Know you are His beloved and you are loved!