Stooping Love

     Okay, here's what I should be doing--working on a lecture for Bible study.  But here's what I am doing--thinking about something I read early this morning that I cannot get out of my head.  Because it's all about grace and how Christ loves and how we should and can love.  Because let's just be honest here: we don't always feel like loving others.  We don't always feel like extending kindness to that person who zoomed up in the far lane in traffic and then wants to dart in front of us.  We don't always feel like holding our tongue when someone we love says something ridiculous or even a tiny bit hurtful.  We don't always feel like forgiving someone who has wronged us--or worse, wronged someone we love.  We don't always feel like being patient with someone who is slow... or forbearing with someone who is driving us slightly crazy... or understanding with someone who is making it mighty difficult.
     We don't always feel like loving the unlovely.
     But here's the thing: that's not the way Jesus loves us, is it?  Because He loved me at my most unlovely.  The Bible says, "but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom.5:8)  Not after we cleaned up a bit.  Not after we finally deserved it even just a little bit.  Not even after we starting reading our Bible or started obeying Him.
     Nope.  He just loved us even while we were covered with the muck and mire of selfishness, cluelessness, pridefulness, hatefulness.
     That is His love.  And that is His grace.
     And that is how He calls us to love.
     Here's what I read this morning: "Love that goes upward is worship.  Love that goes outward is affection.  Love that stoops is grace."  Donald Grey Barnhouse.
     "Love that stoops."  That is exactly what the Lord Jesus did at Christmas, isn't it?  Left the throne of the universe, left the infinite joys and wonders of heaven, and stooped down to a dirty manger.  Stooped down to a peasant teenaged girl.  Stooped down to the size of a helpless infant.  Stooped down to love and to save such as you and me.
     And I refuse to stoop because...?!  How on earth can I, upon whom God in Christ has showered such utterly undeserved love and grace, refuse to extend that love and grace to all those around me?!  Forgive me Father!  Help me to love as You love, to show grace as You show grace, and to stoop as You stoop.
     None of us can ever stoop a more infinite distance than our Savior.  We cannot even fathom such a distance.  But, by golly, let's start trying!  To whom can you demonstrate that "stooping love" today?  Literally stoop down to the level of a small child and really listen to and respond to them.  Or stoop down to an older person--with patience even in their infirmities--and really listen and love and encourage.  Or stoop down to allow that impatient driver--who totally doesn't deserve it--to go in front of you.  And then smile to yourself, since you just demonstrated a tiny bit of God's stooping love!
      Or stoop down to respond with an encouraging word and a smile to that teenager who at the moment might be excessively undeserving!  Or stoop down to show gratitude to someone who is not expecting it.  Even if you have to search really hard to find something for which to be grateful!
     I think of my dear friends who have to overlook so much in order to be friends with me--all my weaknesses and foibles.  Or my husband and my children--all my inconsistencies, all the times I failed to be the wife and mother I longed to be, but am not.  Yet, somehow, they manage to stoop and show love to one so undeserving.
     I think of my Savior who stoops so infinitely low to love and extend amazing grace to me, to you.  
    And all I can say is, thank you to those who inexplicably love me and thank You to my Lord who against all reason, loves and forgives and saves and sustains me.
      O Father, help us to truly see Your stooping love, and then, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, help us this day to demonstrate your stooping love.  Help us to be conduits of Your stooping grace wherever You place us--whether work or school or home or car or store.  Might we who have been given so much love and grace spill forth that same stooping love and grace.  To God be the glory.