April 17, 2018
Lately I’ve been seeing a quote come up on my Twitter feed that really rubs me the wrong way.
“Don’t cross oceans for people who wouldn’t cross a puddle for you.”
Maybe it’s part of our generation’s culture, brought about by social media’s acceptance of a “clapback”, or by the seemingly increasing need to harden our hearts and be unfazed by the people around us, to not let anyone get in the way of our personal goals, to cut people off that have done us wrong. Or maybe this mindset has always been around and I’m just noticing it more as I get older. It seems like more and more, people are dying to give the world a taste of its own bitter medicine.
However, we are called to so much more than this. We are called to love.
What if Jesus had this mindset? What if Jesus had said, “Ya know what, what have those sinners ever done for me? I’m not going to be crucified on the cross and provide eternal life for someone like that.”
And trust me, I know this is kind of a hard comparison to stomach. “Yes, Jesus saved me out of love,” you’re saying, “but I’ve never really slammed Jesus. This person you’re asking me to love is very foolish, they’ve really hurt me, they’re not a good person, they went behind my back, they’ve never had good intentions…” The list goes on.
But guess what: You have hurt Jesus. Probably not intentionally. But it’s part of being human, it’s part of our broken nature. You’ve turned your back on him, you’ve denied him, you’ve worshipped other things. Titus 3:3-5 says, “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.”
Verse 8 goes on to say, “I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.” The title of this whole section is called, “Saved In Order to Do Good”.
We are called to love, because without love, we would be called to death. We would be called to pay the wage for the sins we cannot help but make. We are called to love our enemies as Jesus loved us, because we were once enemies of Him and He saved us anyway.
Matthew 5:43-46 says, “You have heard that is was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?”
We are called to love those who have done us wrong, because we are called to live in God’s image. We are called to love those who have done us wrong because that might be the only way they have ever been shown grace. We are called to love those who have done us wrong because we don’t know what they’ve been through; we don’t know how or why but we do know that in some way they have been hurt and that this world has hardened their heart.
We are called to love those who have done us wrong, even though it’s going to hurt. Even though it’s going to be frustrating. Even though when someone has hurt you, it’s the last thing you want to do. Because we are humans and we are imperfect, we cannot help but hurt each other, even with the best of intentions.
Opening up to someone and showing them kindness and love even after you’ve been hurt is scary. It’s HARD. This world is tough. 1 Peter has something to say on the subject: “Even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.” (1 Peter 3:14)
“For it is better, if its is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” (1 Peter 3:17-18)
Ya know what, we’re gonna suffer in our life - it’s inevitable. You might as well suffer in the name of something good, for we are called to love.
Lately I’ve been seeing a quote come up on my Twitter feed that really rubs me the wrong way.
“Don’t cross oceans for people who wouldn’t cross a puddle for you.”
Maybe it’s part of our generation’s culture, brought about by social media’s acceptance of a “clapback”, or by the seemingly increasing need to harden our hearts and be unfazed by the people around us, to not let anyone get in the way of our personal goals, to cut people off that have done us wrong. Or maybe this mindset has always been around and I’m just noticing it more as I get older. It seems like more and more, people are dying to give the world a taste of its own bitter medicine.
However, we are called to so much more than this. We are called to love.
What if Jesus had this mindset? What if Jesus had said, “Ya know what, what have those sinners ever done for me? I’m not going to be crucified on the cross and provide eternal life for someone like that.”
And trust me, I know this is kind of a hard comparison to stomach. “Yes, Jesus saved me out of love,” you’re saying, “but I’ve never really slammed Jesus. This person you’re asking me to love is very foolish, they’ve really hurt me, they’re not a good person, they went behind my back, they’ve never had good intentions…” The list goes on.
But guess what: You have hurt Jesus. Probably not intentionally. But it’s part of being human, it’s part of our broken nature. You’ve turned your back on him, you’ve denied him, you’ve worshipped other things. Titus 3:3-5 says, “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.”
Verse 8 goes on to say, “I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.” The title of this whole section is called, “Saved In Order to Do Good”.
We are called to love, because without love, we would be called to death. We would be called to pay the wage for the sins we cannot help but make. We are called to love our enemies as Jesus loved us, because we were once enemies of Him and He saved us anyway.
Matthew 5:43-46 says, “You have heard that is was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?”
We are called to love those who have done us wrong, because we are called to live in God’s image. We are called to love those who have done us wrong because that might be the only way they have ever been shown grace. We are called to love those who have done us wrong because we don’t know what they’ve been through; we don’t know how or why but we do know that in some way they have been hurt and that this world has hardened their heart.
We are called to love those who have done us wrong, even though it’s going to hurt. Even though it’s going to be frustrating. Even though when someone has hurt you, it’s the last thing you want to do. Because we are humans and we are imperfect, we cannot help but hurt each other, even with the best of intentions.
Opening up to someone and showing them kindness and love even after you’ve been hurt is scary. It’s HARD. This world is tough. 1 Peter has something to say on the subject: “Even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.” (1 Peter 3:14)
“For it is better, if its is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” (1 Peter 3:17-18)
Ya know what, we’re gonna suffer in our life - it’s inevitable. You might as well suffer in the name of something good, for we are called to love.