Some people, let's face it, are downright objectionable. The moment you meet them, you come to the conclusion that you want to spend the rest of your life without them. Their lives are messy. Their attitudes are toxic. The easiest thing to do is to steer clear of them.

Nicky Cruz was a violent New York gang leader, hardened by abuse and hatred. When preacher David Wilkerson told him that Jesus loved him, Cruz beat and threatened him—but Wilkerson kept coming back with unwavering love.

Eventually, Cruz was so deeply moved by the message of Christ's love that he gave his life to Jesus, going on to become an evangelist reaching countless others with the Gospel. That's the power of persistent Christian love and God's grace to transform even the most broken of lives.

Those objectionable people in your life – you have a choice. Shun them, or love them. What'll it be?

Jesus chose to dine with sinners, to engage with them, to love them. That drew a lot of criticism from the religious leaders of the day, the Pharisees, the religious separatists who instead, withdrew into their holy huddles. This is how He responded:

Matthew 23:27-28 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."

Religious separatism doesn't create purity. It creates self-righteousness.

Love the sinner.

That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.