Jesus loves the members of the Westboro Baptist Church. So much, in fact, that He died on a cross for them, and when He rose from the dead three days later, He made it possible for them to be eternally saved, living forever with Him in the next life. And this fact is unchanged by the sins of the members of the Westboro Baptist Church - no matter how much damage they do in God's world, Christ's love and grace is still available to them.

I've written about the WBC before, but I'm not sure I've ever typed the exact combination of words above before. I have to admit - it was a little hard. Of all the people in the world who are hard to love, the WBC is, without a doubt, at the top of the list for me. No group of people has twisted the bible more; no group of people have used Jesus to spread hate, bigotry and hurt more; and, unfortunately, no group of Christians is more famous in America, meaning their reputation has done untold damage to the cause of Christ and His kingdom.

But still - Jesus loves and died for everyone. And 'everyone' includes them.

As you've no doubt heard by now (I'm definitely late to this party), the WBC will be in Columbia tomorrow to protest the funeral of a fallen Missouri soldier. And most of us have responded in the way that feels most natural - with outrage. We want to do something about the WBC, even if it's as simple as changing our Facebook profile pictures for a few days, and even if it's as dramatic as meeting the WBC face to face in support of Sterling Wyatt's family. 

While we're doing all of these things, we need to remember one thing: Jesus has already told us what to do in cases like this. The WBC is, in so many ways, our enemy - and we're supposed to love our enemies. Not because they deserve it, and not because it will make everything hurt less; but instead, we're supposed to love our enemies because there is no one who is so far away from God that they are outside of the scope of His love. He loves them, and so should we.

This is, perhaps, the single hardest of Jesus' instructions. But it's what has marked God's people as God's people for the last two thousand years - the church has been, from day one, known as a people of love. And so long as there are enemies in the world like the WBC, there will be a need for us to step up to the plate and be different.

So, tomorrow, remember love. If you're going to see the WBC face to face, do it with a smile, and maybe take them a glass of water when it gets particularly hot. And no matter what, tomorrow, all of God's people should be praying for God's peace in Columbia - for both the Wyatt family and the Westboro Baptist Church. After all, when we respond to their hate with more anger and bitterness and hostility, they win. And when we respond in love?

Jesus does.