Loving the Unlovable

John 13:34 & 35 tells us that Jesus issued a new commandment to his disciples, to love one another and to be known for this love. Our Bishop focused his sermon yesterday on that love that we should have for one another, and on all the nuances of it.
Many times Jesus told us to love our fellow human beings, both lovable and difficult people, people who we deem may deserve our love, but especially people who don't. Anyone can love someone who loves back. But the challenge is to love the unlovable. For each of us, the "unlovable" one is different.
In light of the political unrest in the world, I feel a bit challenged to love my enemies. I also feel challenged to love people who think differently than I do. It is easy for me to love another "liberal". It is a challenge to love someone whose radical thinking is diametrically opposed to mine.
The new Tea Party movement challenges me to love. I don't have as many problems loving Muslims, Buddhists, and Taoists as I do loving fellow Christians who proclaim fundamental ideas that I see as twisted. I just got off the phone with a friend whom I gave this advice to: "You can't change what other people think. You can accept it, think differently, and go on with respect for a fellow human who happens to think in a way that is strange and even mean seeming to you."
When it comes to politics, then Jesus' challenge to love becomes an almost impossible task. But with Christ, all things are possible. Even loving the unlovable.