The Limited Aspect of Christian Love - "I love you, but I don't like you."

[St. SteVen]

As Christians, we are commanded to "love everyone".
But that doesn't mean we need to LIKE them, right? RIGHT?

- Have you found yourself in the position of having to "love" someone that is unlovable?
- What does it mean to "like" someone?
- Is "like" greater than, or even EQUAL to, love?


--- PARODY ---

Christian #1: "I love you, but I don't like you."
Christian #2: "Say what?"
Christian #1: "The Bible says I have to love you, but it doesn't say I have to like you."
Christian #2: "That doesn't sound like love to me."
Christian #1: "That's your problem."
Christian #2: "It sounds more like YOUR problem"
Christian #1: "My problem?"
Christian #2: "Yes. If you don't like me. how can you say you love me?"
Christian #1: "The Bible doesn't say anything about me liking you."
Christian #2: "That seems like a workaround."
Christian #1: "A workaround?"
Christian #2: "Yes, you are working around loving me when you really don't."
Christian #1: "I see."
Christian #2: "Can I buy you a cup of coffee?"
Christian #1: "I would like that."
Christian #2: "Well, that's a start."

/

 

[St. SteVen]

Like this.

/

 

[Ritajanice]

As Christians, we are commanded to "love everyone".
But that doesn't mean we need to LIKE them, right? RIGHT?

I pray that God opens my heart up to love those who I find difficult to Love....I must surrender to his will...in that area....it’s not easy......all in God’s timing and at the end of the day...he knows our hearts.

- Have you found yourself in the position of having to "love" someone that is unlovable?
- What does it mean to "like" someone?
- Is "like" greater than, or even EQUAL to, love?

I’ll have to pray about this one....

/

 

[Ritajanice]

Like this.

/

Never heard of Wayne Watson....Loved the music and vocals.

 

[St. SteVen]

--- PARODY ---

Person#1: Jesus said I have to love you.
Person #2: Hmm... does that mean you love me, or not?
Person#1: It means I "have" to love you.
Person #2: Don't you even like me?
Person#1: Not really.
Person #2: How can you love me if you don't even like me?

Indeed.

/

 

[St. SteVen]

Never heard of Wayne Watson....Loved the music and vocals.

Yes.
I love the line where talks about calling Jesus at the end of the day to talk about nothin'.
That says LIKES to me. Jesus likes him, not JUST loves him.


/

 

[Wrangler]

--- PARODY ---

Person#1: Jesus said I have to love you.
Person #2: Hmm... does that mean you love me, or not?
Person#1: It means I "have" to love you.
Person #2: Don't you even like me?
Person#1: Not really.
Person #2: How can you love me if you don't even like me?

Indeed.

/

Because love is NOT a form of an abundance of like.

Like is attraction. It is natural. Biblical love is best defined as COMPASSION and is independent of natural attraction.

I naturally am attracted to people who are similar to me. Those who are dissimilar require me to get beyond myself and lead with compassion.

 

[St. SteVen]

Do I really love you if I don't like you?

/

 

[Wrangler]

Do I really love you if I don't like you?

/

In my walk with Christ I determined to be everyone’s friend. It is independent of liking them.

Obviously, you cannot grasp this, continuing to imply there is a relationship between love - Biblical love and like.

 

[marks]

As Christians, we are commanded to "love everyone".
But that doesn't mean we need to LIKE them, right? RIGHT?

- Have you found yourself in the position of having to "love" someone that is unlovable?
- What does it mean to "like" someone?
- Is "like" greater than, or even EQUAL to, love?

/

What does it mean to you to love others? Is is purely a choice of will, and no feeling involved? Does real love infuse feelings of love with the choice to love? Is the choice to love based on our perceptions of others? Our opinions of them?

Why do you love?

Much love!

 

[marks]

Do I really love you if I don't like you?

/

Can you separate who some is from what they seem like to you?

Much love!

 

[Lambano]

One of the definitions of "Agape" love I came across was that the happiness and well-being of the one loved is integral to one's own. I suppose by that definition, you can act to the benefit of another (and be happy about it?) without necessarily liking them.

Maybe. I'm all for "acting for the benefit of others". And I know about hurting when others hurt. It's the "and be happy for the other's well-being" part when you don't particularly like them that I question.

 

[MatthewG]

There is only really one biblical defintion of love that I know of, and it comes from 1 Corinthians 13. It speaks of unconditional love, which Yahava is.

 

[Taken]

Love is doing what is right, regardless of the consequences.

Love is a strong feeling of affection, well wishing, compassion, concern toward another, regardless of their Standing.
(Which also may or may not contextually include passion stemming from a physical attraction).

Like is a strong feeling of contentment.

Like is a similitude of this and that.

Dislike is feeling of discontentment.

Hate is a strong dislike.

These are all Biblical inferences which apply to the Creator and Maker; Lord God Almighty and the Created and Made manKIND of thing.

God established A STANDING, which is:
With or Without Him.

Men have Freewill to Choose their STANDING.
Or not.
Men have Freewill to Declare their STANDING
Or not.

* God Directs men to Choose.
* God Reveals His Desire for men to Choose Him Above all other things.
* God Reveals the Consequences For Choosing Him above all other things.
* God Reveals the Consequences For
Choosing Him and Declaring Him above all other things.
* God Directs men to Love all other of manKind of things.

Can, Does, God Love, that which He does not Like, that He is not Like and that which He strongly dislikes (hate) ?
Yes.

Can, Does, manKIND do the same?
Yes.

Men OF this world imply and dictate that Hate is the opposite of Love and even go so far as to illegally Legislate punishments for Hating.

Men OF this world imply and dictate that Love is Accepting and Tolerating forced in your face unacceptable Godly Behaviors Among manKIND and even go so far as to illegally Legislate punishments for rejecting or not tolerating what is unGodly.

Do I hate such things, and the men who promote and participate in instigating in such things? Yes.

Do I also love them, regardless of their standing, wish them well being, have compassion for them? Yes.

Does God hate…people, behaviors of people and things? Yes.

Does God love…all people and do what is right, regardless of the consequences? Yes.

It is not either or.
Don’t let men of the world Dictate your Standing.

Glory to God,
Taken

 

[St. SteVen]

I suppose by that definition, you can act to the benefit of another (and be happy about it?) without necessarily liking them.

If a person is basically unlovable, that the best we can do.

Maybe. I'm all for "acting for the benefit of others". And I know about hurting when others hurt. It's the "and be happy for the other's well-being" part when you don't particularly like them that I question.

That's a good way to look at it.

I remember the Will Rogers quote: "I never met a man I didn't like."
People are the way they are for a reason, whether we understand them or not.
I suppose the trick is to accept them as they are.

If we keep our expectations low, we will often be pleasantly surprised.

/

 

[Lambano]

I remember the Will Rogers quote: "I never met a man I didn't like."

I remember a sign at a Monday Night Football game: "Will Rogers never met Howard Cosell". You have to be an American of a certain age to get that reference.

 

[Lambano]

If we keep our expectations low, we will often be pleasantly surprised.

And we won't be disappointed (as often).

 

[Lambano]

There is only really one biblical defintion of love that I know of, and it comes from 1 Corinthians 13. It speaks of unconditional love, which Yahava is.

"Love" might look something like Romans 12:9-21. I note the reference in v20 to doing good for your enemies; I remember somebody else telling us to do that. And it doesn't say you have to like the other guy.

9 Love must be free of hypocrisy. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor, 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Never repay evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all people. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people. 19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

 

[Lambano]

Now go and do likewise. (Which itself was said in the context of loving your neighbor as yourself.)

 

[St. SteVen]

... it doesn't say you have like the other guy.

This is where the quote from the topic title comes in.

"I love you, but I don't like you."​

We temper our requirement to love others with the caveat, "But I don't HAVE to like you."
Seems to be a workaround for what God REALLY requires of us.

I certainly haven't conquered this. Mostly an observation at this point.

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