“It is easier to be enthusiastic about Humanity with a capital ‘H’ than it is to love individual men and women, especially those who are uninteresting, exasperating, depraved, or otherwise unattractive. Loving everybody in general may be an excuse for loving nobody in particular.” C. S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis had such a wonderful way of telling the truth while at the same time exposing the human heart!
And he was right – it is very easy to say we love “people” in general, but loving specific individuals – especially the difficult ones – that takes some real effort, doesn’t it? That annoying coworker, the rude neighbor who blows his leaves into your yard, or that one relative that makes you reconsider attending your family reunion? They’re the ones we’re called to love, too.
Real love, as Lewis implies, is particular. It’s not like a blanket we can conveniently drape over everyone. It’s a deliberate choice, because this kind of love requires a lot of patience, some genuine humility and a bit of action. It’s showing kindness to the person who we think doesn’t deserve it, or listening attentively to someone who we might think is incredibly boring, or forgiving someone who has hurt us deeply. This doesn’t come natural to me! And I need God’s help to deliberately choose to love in those ways.
Loving “Humanity” is a cop-out if it means avoiding the people God places in our paths.
I remember reading this somewhere, but can’t remember the author… so I’ll close with this: “God loves one-hundred percent of the people I dislike, and He loves them just as much as He loves me.”
- Think: Who is someone in your life who is difficult to love? What makes it so challenging? Ask God to soften your heart toward them.
- Act: Perform one small intentional act of kindness for that person this week – a kind word, a helping hand, or a prayer on their behalf.
- Pray: Ask God for the grace to see people as He sees them, not as a collective “humanity” but as individuals created in His image.
Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. – 1 John 3:18
Former Blackout Artist 