onething

pretty excited about this going down sept 27-29.

and, a couple emilies and a megan might be making an appearance here...

LOVE one another

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
- John 13:34-35

“Love keeps no record of wrongs…it always hopes, and always perseveres.”
- I Cor. 13:5, 7

I discovered two things after returning from a mission trip to Toronto this summer. First, when you tell someone you just traveled to Toronto, they will inevitably respond with, “Canada, eh?”, thinking they have just uttered an exceptionally clever response. More importantly, I began to realize that I have much, much more to learn about what it means to truly love others.

It started for me one evening while we were on what was called a “sandwich run,” essentially handing out bag lunches on the streets. Early on, a man from the organization we were working with greeted someone he recognized by saying, “How are you, brother?” After talking for a minute, the man asked for a cigarette, and I was I bit surprised to see our leader readily provide him with one. Was it really a good idea to feed such an unhealthy addiction in a man who was clearly already under the influence of other things? Food was one thing—but a cigarette? I almost missed the grateful expression on the man’s face, and the fact that the relationship between these two men was being strengthened through this simple act of love. Later on, I realized our leader did not attempt to judge what this man did or did not need—he simply heard the request, realized his ability to grant it, and did so out of care for another.

Later on in the trip, a local pastor shared with us a story about a homeless friend—a word he used with unexpected and refreshing regularity—who survived by stealing. He knew about this friend’s actions and had even witnessed him scamming others, yet he did nothing to stop it. I was shocked. How could a pastor know about this and not do anything? Come on, it’s even one of the Ten Commandments! How could he hang out with this guy? (Guess I forgot about that new command that Jesus gave. Love one another. Three times in two verses—I think He means it, folks.) The pastor went on to say he knew the best way, or only way, to truly love his friend is to love him just as he is, and to see him through until he figured out a better way to get by. He didn't just give up on this guy as a thief and a lost cause, he kept the relationship alive and the door open, regularly spent time with him. He called this man his friend. Whoa.

Jesus didn’t just call us to love people if we agree with them, or when their actions make sense to us. We are not called to serve others based on our own ideas of what they need or expectations of who they should be. Others will truly see love, and feel love, when we give it without condition or expectation—just as Christ did. Jesus didn’t say, “You’re a tax collector? Ok, well just stop cheating people and we’ll have dinner sometime,” or, “A prostitute? Well, that’s pretty messed up. Get yourself together and then we’ll talk.” He called them “brother” and “friend” (check out Matt. 26:50 for another “whoa” moment), and invited them into relationship just as they were. And, amazingly, he does the same for a sinner like me, even when I have taken it upon myself to judge others when I have been called only to love them.

***

note: I actually wrote this for next month's church newsletter, but wanted to open it up to a broader audience as well. comments welcome...