Monday, November 29, 2010

The Misused Love: Part Four

After a good Thanksgiving break, let's finalize this series in the blog with the final three essentials of Godly Love. I believe these last three are the most challenging. Look and see how they square up to your life.

6. Confirming the importance in others is a great essential of Godly love. All have purpose, and to degrade others and act as if they are worthless is contrary to Christ’s teachings. Paul states in Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepares in advance for us to do.” Regardless of what people have done in the past and what we may think of them, God has a plan for all. Now the holiness of his plan cannot be reached without the person becoming saved, but expressing that there is a purpose and plan for everyone certainly can bring God’s love to that person which can lead them to his grace. And in his grace, all can achieve the will of God. I do not mean to confuse this point with the popular watered-down Gospel message used today in churches in which all that is preached is a “wonderful plan” with no mention of sin and Hell. God’s plan for us is to be in communion with him, not a wonderful earthly life. That is crucial to understand. If we can reveal the importance in one person, it is worth the minuscule effort that seems to so often keep us from God’s will.

7. The next essential of God’s love is what I believe to be one of the most, if not the most, disputed. The idea of witnessing to others is a haunting thought to Christians. Many of us claim to be Christians, but ask yourself, how often do you speak to someone, especially strangers about your faith, or even hear others speaking about theirs? Exclude church related activities also. I think the answers should shock us as Christians. Now before I continue, I do want to stress that I do not mean that witnessing is only going door to door or standing on street corners screaming to people about going to Hell. What I mean by witnessing is being brave enough to speak of and stand up for your faith when the time comes. At times, Christ will lead those in need into our paths. How we handle the situation is partially in our hands. Partially because while the Spirit uses us as an instrument for Christ’s message, we must ultimately decide to act upon the Spirit’s calling. But as I said before, I do not mean to forcibly spit the word into people's faces. When it is time for them to hear, the Lord will create the space in time for it to happen. But how is this a part of love? It is actually the greatest part of God’s love. This is loving someone so much that you care where he or she will be when death comes. Refer to John 3:16. It show the epitome of love. When the occasion comes to share the Word, we should all think of God’s love for us and how he wants us to share our faith without fear and shame. This is the greatest expression of love: to not keep his Word locked inside of us but to allow it to grow in others.

8. The final essential is the idea of sacrifice. Do not simply think that sacrifice means that you will “give up” something for another. That connotation sometimes sits negatively on some hearts. While we basically do give something up, the concentration should be on what good is done for those the sacrifice is for. Through Christ’s crucifixion, we do acknowledge the fact that he died, but we focus more on the fact that he was raised from the dead and has given eternal life to his followers. With this type of thinking, why do we usually associate a negative feeling to concept of sacrifice in our own lives? First, how is love sacrifice? It is not intended for everyone to go and give their material possessions to those in need. That is not what I mean by sacrifice. In the context of spreading God’s love, we should sacrifice those things that hinder us from doing so. May it be time, effort, or comfort, we should not let our personal selfishness keep us from showing the greatness of God. Therefore, with the will of God, a Christian lifestyle requires sacrifice in many ways. Anything that keeps us from expressing God’s love cannot be considered holy, and we should sacrifice that which hinders Christ’s message.

After examining the challenge of these essentials, we must examine our own lives. Should there be any transitions, any changes, or are these essentials absent from our lives altogether? Actually, all of us lack at least one essential part of Godly love at some point in our lives. We must all be aware that the absence of Godly love means an eventual absence of God in our lives. God is true love; without it, we turn from him. But with all of the negative, worldly ideals that are implanted into our culturally aware minds, how do we focus on God while keeping our sin at bay? Start by prayer. Turn to God for guidance and strength. The Lord wants us to be full of his power, so why would he deny it to us? “Ask and it will be given to you” (Matt 7:7). We should never forget this. Christ tells that all you must do is truly want God and ask; you will not be denied. He then will give you the knowledge and understanding in that situation. But before you progress with this, understand that this does not mean a literal beam of light will fall upon you, where you will see everything as a divine epiphany. This is a misunderstanding of those who do not see what Christ means when he says that we will receive if we ask. We, in some way, will receive help. Do not focus on emotion and expect an immediate change of heart or physical ecstasy. Waiting for these things leads to discouragement and possible disbelief. Just understand that God will help you. With the trust that Christ will help, look to the world with a clear mind and distinguish between reality and worldliness, meaning separate your conscience from cultural ideas and focus on the truth of God’s holiness and love.

I think the best way to bring together what is expected of us as Christians is to look to Christ’s life. How did he live? What type of impact did he have on people? The answers are clear. But what can we understand about his character and his impact? Love is the key premise to Christian living. It is the foundation of all the good of God in this world. Through love, Christ died, salvation has found us, and we live. If we turn from true love, we turn from God because he is love.

Friday, November 19, 2010

The Misused Love: Part Three

We have all heard how it is good to be "nice" to others, but what is "nice?" With Jesus being the prime example of how to show compassion, I believe that we should do more than just “be nice” to people. Being nice has become a shallow example of what many think Christ wants us to do. There are what I believe to be eight essentials that should be understood as to what Christ intends for love. We will cover five in this entry.

1. We must overcome barriers and take time to understand that God’s love transcends all of our cultural and social understandings. Christ didn’t stay within the Temple to commune comfortably with the Pharisees; he went to the tax collectors, was followed by prostitutes, and cared for those who the culture would dismiss as evil. This shows us that we shouldn’t disregard anyone for any reason. Christ sees the truth inside us all: all are God’s children. No one should be discounted from his love.

2. Forgiveness is also a great obstacle that so many believe can’t be dealt with. It can be easy for some to forgive minor offenses, but it is more difficult with major issues. And think of what our culture considers to be “horrible” offenses: rape, murder, and I’m sure we can go one. But remember, God is so holy and has such righteous standards that what we consider to be evil is no worse in his eyes than what we see as minor offenses. Sin is sin with no exception. But we see these horrible things in the world and thrive on Worldly justice and revenge. While justice is good, vengeance is not promoted by Christ. Regardless of the offense, God will forgive if we repent and believe. This is the attitude that Christians should express. When we show forgiveness to those who offend, we interject something into the world that is rarely seen. Christ forgives, and if we are to be Christ-like, so should we with a loving, gracious heart.

3. Christ’s parable of the lost son speaks volumes to us about turning from sin to God, but I also see a lesson in patience. This is a critical facet to love. The Father, while he knew of the errors his son was doing against him, was patient and loving. Even after all was done, he welcomed his son back. God knows what terrible things we will do against him in our lives, but he never turns away from us. He will never give up; he is patient. His Spirit works everyday in our lives to help us turn to him. This is the kind of compassion that we must also share. While those we know hurt us and cause heartache of many kinds, we should still give our love to them. If God does this for us, how can we claim to live Godly lives and turn our backs on those who need us just because they have betrayed us in some way big or small?

4. Another point that is tied closely to patience is forgetfulness. I have heard, and said sometimes myself, the claim, “I will forgive but I will not forget.” This is a contradiction. Literal forgetfulness may never come, but in the context of the statement, it suggests that the remembrance will have an effect on the relationship. This is not forgiveness. It is impossible to forgive without “letting go” of the past. We have also heard of the statement, “forgive and forget.” As cliché as this sounds, it is a great characteristic of God’s grace. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, all of the sins of believers are washed away and no longer acknowledged. We are sinful, but we are forgiven if we turn to him. Isaiah 43:18 even states to, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” What has passed has passed. If we are to love and forgive, we must let go of the past, or the sin in us will use it to eat at our heart and turn us against each other.

5. Much of our love is expressed, but not all love is shown through action. The simple act of listening can give unbelievable help to so many. Some people in the world just need someone to listen to them speak. How many times have you felt “better” because you were able to “vent?” This is partially what I mean. The idea is still the same though. Being able to express our issues and have someone care enough to want to know about it helps tremendously. There are multitudes of people that need an ear to willingly and caringly listen to them. This gives the person a feeling of love. They say, “Wow! Someone cares enough about what I have to say. They actually want to know about me and my problems.” This is the easiest act of love a Christian can do, but it is also one of the least used. Christ would listen to a person all day if it means showing his love. In fact, he does. We all have this need. When we have problems, we turn to God. We pray, speak, and even cry at times. God is always there listening to us because he loves us. In turn, we must do the same to others, friends and strangers alike.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The Misused Love: Part Two

The past can most often lend an observant eye to our own difficulties. In the early years of Christianity, many initially gave attention Christians due to the love they displayed. Many Christians of the time would go to those in need with humility and compassion. This alone was what many needed to show that God was the loving truth that they needed all along. This is not to say that the message of sin and salvation was not preached. This is also an act of love which we will cover soon, but know this: God is love, and love shines through his children. Showing people such Godly love is showing them God. Now here is the question that begs to be answered: Do we see this love still expressed in the world?

Of course, there are numerous missions, national and international, that take place every year. Many are exposed to the Gospel because of such love, but does this love take place at home? In other words, do we live our lives expressing this love? What about the people around us who do not seem to need help? While we don’t regularly see small, malnourished children living in tents in our towns as shown in television commercials, we are still surrounded by lost souls that need to be shown the love of Christ, but fear so often keeps us from making that step.

Having our love stop at our family and friends is a misuse of what God has given us. Not only does it keep his love from spreading to the ones that truly need it, it’s an absolute contradiction of what Christ is, and many lost souls are misled by this. When a Christian is seen rejecting others and turning his or her head from those who are in need, it’s ammunition to Worldly critics. They claim, “Christians don’t practice what they say is true. They claim to love all but reject so many.” This misuse of love has caused resentment in some. Those who need Christ need his hand to reach out desperately, but if his children turn from them, what will these distressed souls feel?

This is the difficult task for so many. It appears impossible for some to reach out. I feel this way at times still. I remember in the past going to church in a bad mood, hoping no one would come to me to talk. I would be forced to smile and pretend that I cared about anything other than the reason I was there, which was to worship. Was I truly worshiping with that attitude? God would rather see me as a living example of his love to others than see me sitting quiet and still like a dead man propped up in a church pew.

Another issue is selfishness. Our culture puts so much emphasis on the individual and that a person has the right to all that concerns the self. I feel that this type of thinking can be poisonous to our true purpose. When we care only about ourselves, we are living in contradiction to Christ’s teachings. As he washed the apostles’ feet, he set an example of how to be. Christ came to serve; we should do the same. But this is not a popular attitude. Having a servant like stance shows weakness, and praise is given to those who stand up on their own, need no one, and serve no one. To express a Christ-like love through serving our neighbors is an illustration of weakness. To fit in, a person must show individual strength. All Christians should know that this is devastating.

Christ wants us to be dependent on the Lord and to serve him and all his children. I don’t claim that standing up for yourself is sinful, but allowing your personal selfishness to take over can give you an illusion of independent individuality. It must be understood that we are nothing without the Lord, that we can do nothing that is truly good without him. Knowing this can lead us to understand that by living like Christ, we will do true good unlike what the Worldly consider good.

How can we break away from this mind-set? We must look to God for guidance and see that Christ is the ultimate example. Just like Christ, we should all express compassion in ways that benefit. What I mean by benefit is not necessarily money. If you feel compelled to help others monetarily, then do so, but not all can. When it comes down to evaluating what is meant to benefit others, look to the spirit. It is a great thing to give help to the physical world. Do not be deceived though. So many people think happiness is found in the physical. Christians know that true happiness is found in God, so we should spread God to all. We should be concerned with the spiritual; therefore, we should work to assist those who are in need on the spiritual level.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

The Misused Love: Part One

I seem to have a good bit to say on this subject. This is mainly because of how important love is to God's ministry. I'll break this topic down into multiple parts that I will post weekly. It's simply too much to cram in right now.

I foresee these installments becoming troublesome for most. This is because the idea of “love” is so misconstrued that this study will introduce such a challenge in which some must drastically revamp their initial comprehension of what love is. This situation is due to our cultural connections and rejection of God’s intentions of love.

Love seems so important in the modern world. Valentine’s Day brings roses and gifts that are given to people we truly love. Holidays mark special times we spend with loved ones. Weddings lavishly spread love’s tugging sensation into the hearts of the guests. Even anniversaries show us how some people are able to love each other through the hardest of times. These are all great things that do express the gift of love that God has given us, but it’s weakened in this world due to our sin. We’ve crafted a weak, conventional conception of “love” that’s selfish. We tell ourselves that we’re loving Christians but turn our heads from uncomfortable situations where love is needed most. We stand with our family and friends in a close knit circle imprisoning our love from the outside that desperately needs it.

While having strong care and love for the ones we are close to is a good thing, keeping it from reaching beyond our comfort zone to “outsiders” is where the misuse begins. Study this passage:

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? (Matt 5:46-47)

What do these verses tell us? Does it make you examine your life? Do you live your life according to Christ’s words? I can’t say that I have followed this even partially in the past. One afternoon as my wife, brother, and I were driving to Arkansas from Tennessee, we stopped to get gas and some food for the road. As I was about to pull back out of the gas station parking spot, I noticed a lump of faded blue sticking up from the grassy field next to the road. As I peered closer, I noticed it was a man sleeping in the grass with his denim jacket covering his face. His pants and boots were dirty and mud caked. I briefly looked at the sandals I was wearing at the time contrasting my comfort to his, but my eyes drifted over to my brother’s over-sized strawberry muffin he just bought just in case someone needed it. For a split moment, I thought of grabbing the muffin and running it over to the man, but I put the truck in reverse and left instead. My fear kept me from showing Christ’s compassion. I didn’t know what everyone in the car would say; I didn’t know what the man would say. I know that I wouldn’t have received any ridicule, but I convinced myself this with lies in order to keep out of an uncomfortable situation, and it still haunts me at times. Can you think of a time in which you have squirmed out of a similar situation? Many have done comparable things with the homeless, handicapped, or anyone that makes them feel uncomfortable.

How did Jesus live in regards to this idea? He loved his family and his apostle very much, but he did not stop there and nor should we. He illustrated his Godliness through his grace and compassion. He healed the sick, welcomed the poor and sinful, embraced the children, and ultimately gave his life for everyone including those he had not spoken with in the world much less even physically seen. This is the true exemplification of God’s love. He gives his grace to all no matter their social background, their cleanliness, their home life, occupation, race, or even nationality. He died for all.

Take some time to think about the God’s grace. This undeserved love is given to us regardless of our sins because Christ has taken the punishment for us. That is absolute love: to live a perfect life enduring persecution and death for those who rightly deserve eternal punishment. God looks beyond our sin and loves us for what Christ has done, but it does not begin there; he has always loved us even though we have repeatedly turned our backs on him. While he asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, he already knew that he was going to do the same thing himself. Jesus Christ, God incarnate, willingly came to take our sins upon himself for our sake. Pay close attention to the word “willingly.” Christ didn’t come out of any requirements. It didn’t benefit him. It was all done for us. We must look beyond ourselves to others. God’s grace dwells inside his people, and it’s our obligation to spread this love.