I have been the person that has been pretty quiet on social media lately. I have watched, listened, and taken it all in. The other day I was at work, and I was so overcome with a burden for our city, our state, and our nation- that I closed the door to my office and began to pray. What the world needs, now more than ever, is Love. When we are killing each other, rioting, talking about defunding the police, being asked to be on a task force to open up schools again, inching our way out of a pandemic, and the stress of everything in between- we need a Comforter now more than ever. When it seems like the demonic forces of evil are triumphing, we need a Savior more than ever. If I hear one more person tell me about the lawlessness of the land, how the world is going to hell in a handbasket one more time, or how I am of little faith because I follow the guidelines given to us for how to operate… we need the shalom of God more than ever.
“And I pray that you, BEING ROOTED AND ESTABLISHED IN LOVE, may have power, together WITH ALL THE SAINTS, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than we all ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” ~ Ephesians 3:17-20
I wonder how many of our current problems could be eliminated if we were rooted and established in love? Loving our neighbor should be easy if we follow Jesus’ example. We can love because he loved us first. His love is wide enough to cover my whole life’s experience- the good, the bad, the times I rejected Him, and the times yet to come. His love is long; the ropes of rescue are never too short to pull me up from the cliffs of life. His love swings high when I feel like I’m on the mountain, and swings love to scoop me out of the lowest valley. What if we allowed love to surpass our opinions and what knowledge we think we have? LOVE COVERS.
Jesus was asked, “what is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: love your neighbor as yourself.”
Love mourns with people. Love says I might not exactly understand, but if you need to mourn- I will mourn with you. Love celebrates every part of the body and when anyone part needs encouragement, it cheerfully lays down any agenda to support and encourage where it is needed most. Love listens. Love does not overshadow your hurt and pain with how I worked really hard to get to where I am. Everyone works hard to get to where they are and works really hard to stay where they are. Love is not denying your experience, but it seeks to edify someone else's experience. Love follows Jesus' example to give others the benefit of the doubt. There will always be the expert of the law that likes to point out the blemishes, the sin... but Jesus never cast a stone- he dispelled the reason to throw any in the first place. Jesus ate with sinners, went into houses of tax collectors, talked to a Samaritan woman when customs of the day said he should not have associated with her. Jesus didn't love her based on conditions, credit checks, citizenship, sexual orientation, or any ifs, ands, or stipulations. Jesus loved no matter what, period. It is Jesus' kindness that leads us into repentance, and it will be our kindness that leads us to forgiveness. If we want a more loving tomorrow, we have to forgive today. If I want to make sure the next generation never has to endure social injustice, then I need to teach my children how to honor and love people around them- ALL THE SAINTS. Teaching children that the last shall be first, and the first shall be last is a hard concept. In a world where the mantra is "I'll get mine, " serving has become a lost art. What is even harder- teaching my boys to bless those that persecute you. What if we blessed more than we cursed? What if we didn't repay evil with evil?
Nothing is going to change if nothing changes. Benjamin Franklin says that "when you're good to others, you're best to yourself." Loving your neighbor not only benefits them, but it makes the world a kinder and more beautiful place and is coincidentally what is best for everyone. Loving your neighbor seeks first the kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to us as well. I can't help but to think if we start there with being kingdom minded, then it is possible to be rooted and established in love with all the saints.
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