C.S. Lewis was a novelist, poet, academic, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian, and Christian apologist. He is probably best known as the author of The Chronicles of Narnia, but he wrote numerous other works, including “The Problem of Pain” from where the quotes in this series were taken.
“Everyone has experienced the effect of pity in making it easier for us to love the unlovely – that is, to love men not because they are in any way agreeable to us but because they are our brethren.”
We all have people in our lives who are hard to love. I know I myself am hard to love sometimes. But, there are those who seem to be always disagreeable or annoying or pessimistic or sometimes downright ugly in spirit. There is no way we can love them by ourselves. We need the grace of God working in us to reach out and love that person. And they are most likely the one in the most desperate need of some love and affection.
When I think that Christ loved me, that He reached down to me in all my sin and rescued me, how can I not love my brethren? And how can I not be kind even to strangers?
I think of this verse:
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. – Hebrews 13:2
Who knows what someone else may be going through? Kindness should be handed out without any thought of getting any in return. I’m not saying it’s easy. But, it’s right.
Not In This Soup Alone 