Loving Those Who Are Hard To LoveExemplo

Loving Those Who Are Different Than Me

In our verses today, Paul shares how the Galatian church welcomed him, despite an illness. The church members didn’t scorn him or treat him with contempt. Instead, they loved him and welcomed him with tenderness. This passage doesn’t share what Paul’s illness was, but some scholars believe Paul came to their region to recover from an illness like malaria. We do know that the Galatians loved him as if he were Jesus Himself.

More recently, this astounding story of acceptance occurred: an African grandfather demanded his newborn granddaughter be thrown into a nearby forest to die. Why? She was born with several birth defects. He could not stand having her in his home. 

Throwing away a baby seems unimaginable in our culture but is devastatingly common in many places around the world where children born with birth defects are considered unlovable.

When news of Bahati’s condition reached her grandmother, she sprung into action and rescued her granddaughter from the forest – quickly shuttling her to the hospital. Bahati’s grandmother shared: “She was very small, and her stomach was swollen. I was not sure if she would live another day. The doctors at the hospital named her Bahati – it means good fortune.” When Bahati was released, she went to live with her grandmother. Unfortunately, her grandmother didn’t have the means to provide for the baby, so she resorted to begging.

When Bahati was enrolled in school, her disabilities were so severe she had to crawl to and from school. She would get tired, and the kids at school would make fun of her. “I hated school. Other kids used to tell me to stand up and walk properly. When I tried to do it and fail, they would laugh at me.”

When Bahati was in 2nd grade, a Compassion Center was opened at a church near her home. After she was registered, the center took her to a prosthetic specialist to get an artificial leg. This generosity restored Bahati's dignity and confidence! She soon returned back to school and has never been the same.

Bahati is now in her last year of primary school. Her dream is to become a lawyer and help kids born with birth defects. Because of the love shown by her Compassion center, she will change the world!

Are you trying to love someone who is hard to love? Whether it’s a difficult neighbor, challenging family member, or underprivileged child of God, the Lord calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Learn from Bahati’s grandmother and the church of Galatia. Involve yourself and embrace that person as your own flesh and blood.

Prayer:

Father, give me Your heart towards those who are disabled in some way. If I see culture treat them with contempt, give me the courage to stand up for them. May I welcome them as the Galatian church welcomed Paul. In Jesus’ name, amen.