When Jesus said, “love one another”, He didn’t mean we can pick and choose who to love. Jesus says, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35. Again in John 15:12, Jesus says, “My command is this: Love one another as I have loved you.”
The key phrase there is “as I have loved you.” I was a backslidden prodigal for decades. I was out for me, not caring how much harm I did, how much grief I caused people. If I got my needs met, I was a happy camper. I didn’t deserve the Father’s love. But Jesus loved me anyway. He rescued me from the darkness and brought me into His marvelous light. Gave me eternal life and an inheritance that will never spoil, fade or wrinkle. He has given us new birth into a living hope. How can we not share the love of Jesus with one another?
We are too quick to judge others as worthy of our attention because of their religious preference, their nationality, their dress or their hairstyle. EVERYone is worthy of Jesus love and attention. He made time for all.
What would happen if we went out of our way to befriend someone we didn’t like, or who didn’t like us? What would happen if we suddenly didn’t allow our prejudices to color our perspective of others? What would happen if we didn’t allow religion to get in the way of our relationships?
What would happen if we loved one another just like Jesus loved you and me?
His love has no exclusions. Neither should ours.
For His Glory 
Steve, I have known you probably longer than anyone else who reads your posts, and I believe you are too hard on yourself. We could ALL truthfully say we backslid and fell far short of being worthy. But as a teenager & young adult, you tried as hard as anyone to be a true follower. None of us are proud of our past shortcomings, and we all have plenty of them, but be a little easier on yourself, old friend!
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