By this everyone will know you are my disciples, if you love one another. Jesus
My struggle as I write today is to do exactly what I'm frustrated at others for not doing. To love. To not allow myself to be frustrated by the well-meaning - but so often mistaken - believers of the world. Why the frustration? Because to me it just seems so simple. We have 33 years (3 of documented ministry) of Jesus' life on earth to read about, study, and model. So when we are faced with a choice on how to react to or treat another individual believer or not – let’s just look at what Jesus did and do that. Seem simple? I'm arguing that most of the time, it is. I heard it described the other day as opening the gospels and "reading the red".
Over the last several years My eyes have been opened more and more to the way the world sees believers. And it's not pretty. David Kinnaman's book Unchristian quotes a non-church goer from Mississippi who states that "Christianity has become bloated with blind followers who would rather repeat slogans than actually feel true compassion and care." - Kinnaman, pg 15 It’s sad to say, but the book I refer to is chop full of examples like the one I gave - and it was published in 2009; I fear it's gotten worse.
The above verse from John, to me says it all. Others will know we love Jesus because we love them.
When and why did we become a people group set on telling others why we are better than they are and what they are doing wrong? Let me ask you this - when was the last time you were attracted to something because it made you feel awful or fearful or guilty? I'm pointing out that people were DRAWN to Jesus, not coerced. Allow me to repeat that in case you quickly skimmed over that line - people were drawn to Jesus, not coerced.
I heard an unrelated illustration that I think may apply here. Recently our family got a new dog, Rue. I happen to think Rue is the most precious and adorable dog who ever lived, but she occasionally DOES like to chew on things not intended for that purpose. Shoes, in particular.
I’ve discovered that if Rue has a shoe in her mouth and I slap her nose and try to snatch it away, she only clamps down harder on the shoe. However if I shake a bag of treats in front of her, she’s quick to drop the shoe and all but trample me for the treats!
My desire is that we would show the world the treats we have in so that they will desire to drop their shoe! Do you realize the love we have been shown by Him? The inheritance we have been given? Do u recognize we deserve none of it?
Maybe the real issue is a lack of understanding who we actually are aside from Him. I know that's where my lines get crossed. When I am tempted to judge or look down on someone, the underlying issue is me failing to recognize that - aside from the undeserved grace of Jesus - I am as ugly and sinful as any of them.
Elyse Fitzpatrick explains this concept with an illustration I love and go back to often. If I am standing on a mountain top, and my fellow sister is standing in a coal mine, neither of us can touch the stars. Aside from His mercy and grace in our lives, none of us is any closer to the cross than anyone else at any given time.
Perhaps the frustration I expressed earlier is better described as sadness. I'm sad that so often the Jesus who loved so well is being so misrepresented to the world. To both believers and unbelievers
alike.
We can love well because we have been loved well. So let's draw both the fallen believer and the unsaved into repentance with our love. Let's show the world the treats we have undeservedly been given and offer to share. When we can draw others to believe, it is much more effective than slapping their noses and snatching the shoe from their mouth.
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