"Love God, Love People" is a slogan that is popular in evangelical circles these days, and we usually immediately think of Jesus's Parable about the
Good Samaritan in Luke Chapter 10. From this parable, we are taught that if we truly love God we will also love people who are very different than us, even our enemies. Samaritans were outcast of the Jews, and the Jews would avoid a Samaritan at all cost. Jesus commanded us to cross cultural barriers, socio-economic barriers, ethnic barriers to take the Gospel - the Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ to everyone - the whole world.
But is that all?
We in the "church" get fired up and excited during special outreach events, local charities, and short term mission trips about "loving" people that we have never met. We feel good about all the "good" we are doing to help the hurting people in our world in a tangible way so that we can have an opportunity to tell them about Jesus. It is one way God opens opportunities for His people to share the Good News of Jesus.
But what about...
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35
Jesus commands us to love "the brothers and sisters" of the faith. As we love one another, the world is drawn to us and wants what we have. It gives us another opportunity to share the gospel while living it before men on a daily basis.
This is the hard kind of love - loving people even after you REALLY get to know them, "warts" and all! As we study together, share our lives, pray for one another, make poor choices, hurt and fail one another it becomes more difficult to "love" and "be loved". In our culture, when people don't live up to our expectations it is easier to just walk away...from marriages, friendships, family, church, jobs...and plug into a new one.
I recently had a conversation with someone who no longer attends church. She has a lot of brokenness in her life that was out of her control, and her comment was something like this: "Every time I go to a church, people get mad at something, they leave and the church splits. I have enough brokenness in my life. It hurts too much to invest in people, when there's a high probability they will walk away." (my paraphrase) I appreciate her honesty; it made me sad.
As people who have been washed in His love by forgiveness, mercy, and grace, we too should be freely extending forgiveness, mercy, and grace.
"So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith." Galatians 6:10
I know there are times that God definitely moves people in their relationships. He has in my own life. It still hurts. Yet, we need to keep our arms extended with a willingness and readiness to forgive, extend mercy and grace.
I was humbled by the outpouring of love, care and concern from some of my brothers and sisters of former churches who recently reached out in my time of need when Craig was hospitalized. I was reminded that "Friends are friends forever, if the Lord is the Lord of them..."
Blessings to my friends who have stuck with me through the good and bad, who love me when I am unlovable, who challenge me, who have left the door open...
