July 13, 2012
If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. -- Matthew 5: 46-47 (NLT)
Sometimes as Christians we can fall so short of the mark God has set out for us. The new commandment Jesus gave us is that we are to love one another. That people would actually be able to tell we were His by the love that we held for each other. In a world where we are supposed to be salt and light, so often we can end up like the pagan and the tax collector. I guess because true love, Godly love, is always an effort.
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. -- 1Corinthians 13: 4-7 (NLT)
Take a good look at the characteristics of Godly love and realize what they all have in common. They are all opposed to true human nature. We are not patient and kind by nature. We are jealous and proud people. We are irritable and rude. We do keep a record of wrongs. Within our flesh, these things are who we are. The truth is that our love is largely conditional. If someone loves me -- I will love them. If they treat me right, I will treat them right. We find here in the key verses Jesus teaching four simple principles about His plan and how we are supposed to behave as His followers.
First of all, as Christians our love is supposed to be proactive -- not reactive. By saying if we only love those who love us, Jesus is saying love is not meant to be a reaction. We are meant to take our love to people. We are meant to turn love into an action verb. If people are to know we are Christians by our love it stands to reason that they must see that love in action! Instead sometimes in the church we see people broken off into cliquish circles based upon dogma or doctrine, some sense of super spirituality that doesn't really exist, or simply by who is accepted and who is shunned. I have seen pastors themselves sow seeds of discord based upon agreement. Those who agree are loved beyond measure and those that might dissent are shown the pen door. It can get even worse when we step outside of the realm of believers. I have seen Christians exhibit outright hatred towards people in the world. Based on race, political party, or simply the fact that they do not share our faith. The Bible is a two edged sword -- it is not meant to be a blunt instrument to hit people over the head with. Quoting Leviticus is not going save anyone. The things of God are foolishness to those that are perishing. What do they need to see so desperately -- LOVE. They are living in a corrupted world that is slowly eroding every single day. Do you remember the loveless world God saved you from? I sure do. You curse and drink? God loves you still and so must I. You do not share my beliefs? God still loves you and so must I. You are abrasive"a Muslim"gay? Does any of it matter to God? Does God still love the most reprobate person we can imagine? YES. The Bible says that God is not willing to see any perish and neither should we. They will know us by our love. Not our condemnation. Not our morality. Not our sense of superiority. By our love.
The second lesson here is that we will be rewarded based upon this. There is not nearly enough teaching on the level of rewards in heaven. People think they get saved and that's it. They can sit down and sing Kumbya until Jesus comes again. Wrong. God will reward based upon what it is that we have done with our salvation:
"Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. -- Revelation 22: 12 (NLT)
According to what? Their deeds! The Parable of the Three Servants sees the Master rewarding those who invested what they were entrusted with. What has God entrusted with us? What are we investing it in? Not everyone is going to have a worldwide ministry beloved but everyone can love their fellow man -- regardless of whether it is deserved or earned. Remember, we did not deserve the love God showed to us when he sent His only Son to die for our sins.
Likewise, the third lesson is that we are actually supposed to be kind to everyone -- not just our friends. Not just the people who agree with us. Not just the people we like. Everyone! Now, I realize how difficult this can be in a world where so many are treated so poorly but again remember our goal is to represent Christ. The people the world wants to stone to death Jesus says He does not condemn. But if we were honest we would admit that we do condemn sometimes. We make judgments in our minds about people and who is deserving of our kindness and who is deserving of our derision. Again, it is human nature. It is something we have to war against within ourselves. Realize that there are people saved today and going to heaven simply because someone was kind to them. Someone may walk into your church because they heard about the preacher but they will come back based upon how they were treated by you. My first day in church I do not remember the sermon but I remember who hugged me even though I didn't know them. That person at work that seems to hate us -- we are supposed to kind to. Why? Because we do not know what is going on in their life. One day they may go seeking for someone to talk to and you want that someone to be you! That rude person on your bus. That homeless person we all pass by. That estranged relative. There can be no exception to kindness.
Lastly, Jesus is making it clear here that we are supposed to be different than everyone else. If we are just as mean and nasty as the rest of the world -- how are we different? If we are merciless and unloving -- how are we any different? Why in the world would anyone want the salvation we have if they cannot see any difference between you and the next person on the bus? There can be so much judgment in the church. So much condemnation. Drop it and stop it. We are called directly by Jesus to love the unlovable and be kind to the meanest person. It starts from within. We really need to treat each other as Christ envisioned us -- being part of the same body. We need to stop inflicting wounds upon each other. There is a reason why Jesus says to leave your sacrifice at the altar and reconcile with anyone who might have something against you. God doesn't want our bloated sense of religiosity -- He wants us to be unified by Him. He doesn't care of you are right or they are wrong. It is not about who is right it is about doing what is right. Because we will be rewarded based upon what we did with what we have been given. How much love has God shown us that we keep it to ourselves and do not share it with everyone we meet? Because in the end -- we are supposed to be different beloved. We are supposed to be salt in a decaying world. Light in the darkness leading people to Jesus by showing the same love and kindness that He has lavished upon us. Hallelujah!
Rev. Anthony
