"Empowered For Service"
It is an awesome feeling to be chosen-truly chosen. Christ said, "You did not choose me but I chose you." Do you remember those days when kids chose up teams? Someone had to be last, and everyone was gritting their teeth and clenching their fists, really, really hoping that he or she wouldn't be that person-it was ego-shattering, in fact it was as bad as being the Old Maid. However, as we matured, other things became important-the acceptance letter to college, the first job, or the answer "yes" to a proposal-all of these are were ways to be chosen. There are many times in our lives when being chosen or being rejected seem to be crucial, but weeks or months later are these issues still important? All of these issues fall into the secular world. What is important is that Christ chose us-and not to be a servant, but as a friend!
This can put many of us in a difficult position. We have been offered love before, but we didn't always know what to do with it-this was not a reflection of the person offering the love-it was due to our inability to accept it. There is the fear that the other person will learn who we really are: a person who makes mistakes, a judgmental individual, a person with a temper. So many of us are so frightened-so afraid-so uncertain-that even when we are chosen-we do not feel the joy that being chosen can bring to us. But Christ wants to take all of this fear and uncertainty away. He wants us to know that we are all worth loving.
An older woman met up with a companion of a woman who had just died. "I'm sorry to hear of Mrs. Parker's death," she said. "You must miss her greatly. You were such friends." "Yes", said the companion, "I am sorry she died." But we were not friends." "Why", said the lady, "I thought you were. I've seen you laughing and talking together many times. "Yes, that is so" came the reply. "We've laughed together, and we've talked together, but we were just acquaintances." "You see, we never shed tears together. People have to cry together before they are friends."
Christ, our friend, our God, has cried with us and for us. He wept for those who would not come to him for his healing touch and forgiving word. He cried at the tomb of Lazarus, for Mary, and for Martha. And most definitely, he weeps for us when we are hurt, and when we are lost and afraid.
Some of us who are of a more mature vintage, may remember a song by the Beatles: Love is all You Need. This may sound rather simplistic, but it is the path along which we must follow. We've often been told to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, but this is not enough. What we must do is "love all others as God loves us." Just think, if everyone took this seriously, there would be no wars, no hungry people, no homeless people, no divorce, no abused people and no greed and violence. Why can't we attain this status? We have to look toward the obvious: we are not perfect and therefore, neither is our love. But in order to feel the joy of true life, a person must feel the love for others. Does this mean that we must like everyone and everything others do? NO! But one thing is for sure, we must look to Christ as the perfect role model for love.
1. Love is not an option! 1John 4:21 says, "And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother
2. Jesus was serious about us loving one another because it shows we know God!
3. Jesus was serious about our loving one another because it reveals whether or not God lives in us. Jesus requires that the driving force in our lives must be love-all else is secondary. Spirituality is a beautiful thing, but it even comes in second to love.
In Philip Yancey's book, What's So Amazing About Grace? A prostitute came to a man who worked with the down and out in Chicago. She was in wretched straits, homeless, sick, unable to buy food for her two-year old daughter. Through sobs and tears, she told the man she had renting out her daughter-two-years old!-to men interested in kinky sex. She made more renting out her daughter for an hour than she could earn on her own in a night. She had to do it, she said, to support her own drug habit. The man could hardly bear hearing her sordid story. He had no idea what to say to this woman. At last he asked if she had ever thought of going to a church for help. The man will never forget the look of pure, naïve shock that crossed her face. "Church!" she cried. "Why would I ever go there? I was already feeling terrible about myself. They'd just make me feed worse."
So, how are we supposed to love others-all others? John, chapter 15, verse12 tells us, "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." According to first John, by Jesus' own initiative, "We love because he first loved us!"
1. Each time we pray, ask God to bless us with a heart full of
Christ like love.
2. Love not with words or tongue but with actions and truth.
3. We cannot reach perfection, but it is something we must strive for.
4. Spend time with people you don't normally spend time with.
First Corinthians, chapter 13, verses1-3 tell us: "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing."
"Things" can bring us happiness, but love brings us joy. We so often say, "if I just had the money or time, I could do this and this and this." Happiness tends to lift the emotions, while joy lifts the soul. Mother Terese said, "A person filled with joy preaches without preaching." Happiness often seems to "Just Happen," while joy is a choice. Joy says , "I'm happy because I'm happy in the Lord." Happiness is more often connected with receiving, while joy is connected with giving, after all, Christ said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
How do we find this love and joy? Micah 6:8 puts it in succinct terms: Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. Cornelius, a Roman officer, was wealthy and powerful. He also cared about people and was a seeker of God. Peter, on the other hand, was an acknowledged leader of the Christians and kept a strictly kosher life. An angel of the Lord sent Cornelius to Joppa to meet with a man at Simon the tanner's. As Peter prayed on the roof, a vision of pork chops, lobster, clams, and ham sandwiches came to him. The words came from heaven, "Get up, Peter-you're hungry-have a ham sandwich." "Lord, I will not!" And the word Peter got back in his trance was,"Whatever I call clean is not for you to call unclean!" This happened three times. Then the two stories came together. Cornelius came to the door of Simon the tanner's, and the Lord sent Peter down to meet Cornelius. And so Cornelius and his men had their first kosher meal. The next day Cornelius and Peter set out on a day-and-a-half journey together. Peter learned a valuable lesson from this experience: that he should never, ever count out anyone as not being precious to God. God cares for everyone!
I have a phobia about being judged, and this comes from an undisciplined mind-I will like something but not something else, I will gravitate toward certain people but not others; I hate to admit it, but I have gloated over other peoples mistakes and failures. This is judgment! This is totally opposite to what Micah was preaching. But now that I am aware of it, it occurs far less often. We hurt not only other people by failing to love like Jesus, we hurt ourselves also.
Henri Nouwen wrote in the book, The Inner Voice of Love, "Remember, you are held safe. You are loved. You are protected. You are in communion with God and with those whom God has sent you. What is of God will last. I belong to the eternal life. Choose it, and it will be yours. We are fallible-there will be judgments, harsh words, hurt feelings, anger, and greed. But if we truly love God, these will be tempered by words such as: "I'm sorry", "Please forgive me", "Let me help you", "I love you". We all have to chose our words and our ways-take time to listen to the voice of God before making your decision.