You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those who treat you badly. If you do this, you will be children who are truly like your Father in heaven. He lets the sun rise for all people, whether they are good or bad. He sends rain to those who do right and to those who do wrong. If you love only those who love you, why should you get a reward for that? Even the tax collectors do that. And if you are nice only to your friends, you are no better than anyone else. Even the people who don’t know God are nice to their friends. [Matthew 5:43-47 (ERV)] 

O Lord, we all have some “sandpaper people” in our lives. They just rub us the wrong way and they certainly don’t seem to be deserving of our love. Yet, you love them as much as you love us. Help us to be as generous with our love as you are with yours and please forgive us when we aren’t.

The more unlovable the person, the greater the statement about how much you love God. [Joe Stowell]