I wrote this piece five years ago and for some reason never posted it. Today seemed like a good day to share this.

Sometimes I find myself in unusual situations. Like last week when I spent a few hours with a group of German Pentecostal pastors. 

I’m neither German, Pentecostal nor a pastor, but I was invited to what I gather is a monthly meeting. There was food involved, so I accepted. I was also promised there would be people there who spoke English. 

The speaker for the morning gave a short devotional message based on a German word that I have grown to love: liebestrainer. My translation app defines it as “love coach,” but I think it is being polite. Liebestrainers are sent to try us. Any coaching they do is not deliberate on their part.

The discussion question, as I had it explained to me afterward, is how do we make our churches places were people can grow and flourish? How do we treat those who are perhaps difficult to love? Can we be open to the imperfect, to allowing people to be imperfect in our midst? How can we love difficult people?

Or do we have a sign on the church doors: “Only perfect people can enter here.”

I think at pretty much every period of my life I have had a liesbestrainer. They come in male and female, old and young, Christian, pagan and everything in between. It seems there is always someone who challenges me to grow as a person because they are just so naturally a pain in the butt. 

In my experience they are usually nice but clueless people who have no idea of boundaries. I may groan inwardly when I see them coming, but I always try to treat them with grace.

After all, Christians are called to love everyone. My liebestrainer may seem unlovable from a human perspective, but that isn’t how God looks at him or her. I need to remember that. If I can see them through God’s eyes there is a huge shift in perspective and acceptance.

What about you? How do you feel about the liebestrainers in your life? Can you rise above your feelings and attitudes towards them?

Or do you just try and avoid them wherever possible? Isn’t that a rude way to treat your love coach?