Lord,
once in a blue moon
I meet someone I really don’t like
and even the sight of them
puts me in bad form.
I know that I am called
to love everyone.
and I feel that in my best efforts
to be a good Christian,
I’m failing miserably.

I don’t know how to deal with this.

Claire,
I know who you’re thinking about
as you write this
and I want to tell you something.
Even though you see that person
as a grown man,
in my eyes
he is one of my own little ones.
I have a real soft spot for him
and I love him to bits.
Don’t be fooled
by that gruff exterior;
inside is a tiny child of mine.

I want you to do something for me.
Stop using the nickname
that you devised for him;
it’s unkind
and in using it
you are not recognising this man as a person.
Go to the trouble of learning this man’s name
and show respect for him
by using it.

Claire,
loving people isn’t easy
but try to remember
that this man is precious in my eyes
just like you!

(c) Claire Murray