Not Like Me

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. I John 3:16-18 NIV

And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. I John 3:23 NIV

Am I a disciple of Jesus? Are you a disciple of Jesus? If we can honestly answer these questions with yes, then our lives will be filled with examples of how we love God and others. Looking through the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John I am impacted and challenged by the many ways Jesus demonstrated his love for people.

Jesus approached, spoke with, healed, touched and prayed for beggars, paralytics, lepers, prostitutes, and demon-possessed people. In Jesus’ society and in our own, these kinds of people were outcasts, poor, perhaps dirty, and had no voice or power. Yet, Jesus met these people exactly where they were, meeting their physical and spiritual needs.

The four gospels tell us Jesus Listened to women, even gentile women, Samaritan women and prostitutes. He healed a Syrophoenician woman’s daughter who was demon-possessed, and he spent time explaining worship to a Samaritan woman. After their conversation, many in her village became believers in Jesus. Mary Magdalene was healed of demon possession, and became devoted to Jesus, and helped to support his ministry.

Jesus called men to be his followers who were uneducated, fishermen, tax collectors and zealots. He raised a young boy, a young girl and a man from the dead. He ate and stayed in the homes of tax collectors and “sinners” frequently. The religious leaders of the time, the Pharisees and Sadducees could not understand this type of behavior.

Jesus’ kingdom is an upside down one in many ways. He welcomed children, sat them on his knee, used them as examples of how we should all enter the kingdom of God, as a child. Jesus’ Kingdom, his love, compassion and forgiveness are a free gift for all.

How about you and me? Is there a way you can show love to people in your family, neighborhood, city this week? Can you encourage someone who desperately needs it today? Could you make a phone call, send an email or Facebook message, text or write an actual letter to encourage someone today? Do you have food, or supplies that could bless someone else? Can you shop and take groceries to someone who is at risk? Could you make masks for healthcare workers? Can you help with a food bank, or write a check to help your church or other organization, such as Samaritan’s Purse? Listen to “By Our Love” by For King and Country and demonstrate love this week.

By Grace Hunter

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8

I’m pretty sure I can guess which story pops into your head when someone says, ‘love requires sacrifice.’ The story of Jesus’ sacrifice is most likely that story. What a great, wonderful story about a completely selfless act, initiated by the Father and carried out by Jesus. In the history of the universe, no other story carries with it the same intense love. However, there is one in recent human history that is a small shadow of Jesus’ story.

The Polish soldier, Franciszek Gajowniczek, was in Auschwitz, and was chosen to die by starvation, along with 9 others, because of a prisoner escape. Upon hearing his selection, he began to weep because his wife would be a widow and his children fatherless. Friar Maxmillian Kobel stepped forward, as a 47-year old Catholic Franciscan priest, and took his place. After 15 days of suffering and starvation, Fr. Kobel was put to death by an injection of carbolic acid.

Even this human example of self-sacrifice is hard to imagine. Loving others is a sacrifice, not often to the degree that Jesus or Fr. Kobel exhibited, but to some, it can feel that way. Love requires vulnerability, effort, time, patience, and many other things. Depending on past experiences, suffering emotional pain might result. This experience makes this sacrifice of love all the more difficult to initiate.

And yet, we are called to love, and without qualifications. It’s not an optional thing, really (1 John 3:11). We’re called to love God and others (Matthew 22:36-40). We return blessings in love for evil and hate (1 Peter 3:8-9). Perhaps the biggest sacrifice we offer in love is ourselves. We’re really opening ourselves up to many things that might not be pleasant to experience, but in this vulnerable posture, we follow the leading of Christ, loving as he loved, with an ultimate human example in Fr. Kobel (John 13:34).

As you go through each day, remember the example of love Jesus demonstrated towards us. It might help to remember Fr. Kobel, too. I’m not suggesting love requiring one’s life, rather one that extends the hand of love to our neighbor. These demonstrations can start small, like holding the door for someone, or however else the Lord might lead you. It could be a kind word or two is all someone needs to lift their day. Be attentive to the Holy Spirit’s leading, and then do it!

By Rich Obrecht

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James‬ ‭1:19-22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Just a couple weeks ago, I had a stranger walk up to me declaring, “I’ve come over to declare ‘Christ is Risen.’ He went on for about a half hour sharing about himself – his family, his church, his life experiences – then asked if it would be alright if he opened up the Scriptures and randomly read a passage aloud. When he finished, he said a short blessing and walked away to prepare to do the same to his next willing audience.

That day the Lord gave me a personal taste of what so many people experience from Christians. If you ask public culture how they would describe “Christians” they probably would say our reputation is opinionated, judgmental, quick to declare beliefs, and slow to listen to other points of view. They might even describe us as angry when others don’t agree with us. Here, James speaks directly to followers of Jesus and he is spot on as he calls out our biggest blindspots.

There is one practice, however, I think could redeem our Christian reputation. And that’s listening! If listening became the new descriptor for Christians, imagine how that would change what people said about us.

Active listening is powerful because it’s an act of love. To care is to hear someone out, to ask further questions, and to remain curious about a person’s opinions, their life experiences, and their desires. Pick one person today and practice listening. Don’t add any comment from yourself for at least one half hour unless asked to do so. Ask further questions to keep the person talking to demonstrate your attentive love.

By Yvonne Biel

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.  This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.  No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. 1 John 4:9-12 NLT

In our humanity, we are finite. We have a beginning and we have an end. It is the natural flow of our lives, and is seen in everything from a good day’s work to a bedtime story for our kids. But when we brush up against eternity, we find that it has neither beginning, nor end. It always was, and it always will be. Such is the nature of love.

Scripture tells us in 1 John 4 that God is love. Therefore, since we know that God is eternal, we can reasonably assume that love is also eternal. Love begins and ends with God. But God is not stingy with this love. He longs to share Himself with every person on the face of the earth, and the tangible expression of that love is His Church, redeemed by the blood of His Son.

When you and I go to the source of love, and find that we are indeed beloved by the God of the universe, it changes everything. Once our hearts are filled with His love and truth, we are given new eyes for others, and can’t help but want to share the priceless treasure we have found!
In his groundbreaking book, The Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World, Henri Nouwen says this,
“When we claim and constantly reclaim the truth of being the chosen ones, we soon discover within ourselves a deep desire to reveal to others their own chosenness. Instead of making us feel that we are better, more precious or valuable than others, our awareness of being chosen opens our eyes to the chosenness of others. That is the great joy of being chosen: the discovery that others are chosen as well. In the house of God there are many mansions. There is a place for everyone – a unique, special place. Once we deeply trust that we ourselves are precious in God’s eyes, we are able to recognize the preciousness of others and their unique places in God’s heart.”

This week, take time to read through Nouwen’s book, and ponder ways that you might share the amazing love of Christ in new ways with those in your circle of influence…and maybe beyond.

By Sheila Rennau

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Real people have real questions. “Who am I? Where did I come from? Why am I here? And, Where am I going?” These are the basic questions everyone must answer for themselves. The answers determine how they view their world, shaping their convictions, beliefs and actions. If we as Christ followers believe the greatest commandment is “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27) we’re compelled to make love practical. Your apologetic of love is how you talk and act to convince others God’s love is truth, that he made them, and gives them identity and purpose.

Real people have real problems. Many people today, in addition to the basic worldview questions, also ask, “God why did this happen? Does God even exist? Is God really good? Did Jesus really rise from the dead?” Your apologetic of love as a Christ follower engages people in finding answers to these questions as well as being an example by the way you love them in God’s name (1 Peter 3:15 “…in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect”). You show God’s power with a real life that’s been changed by his love.

Real people need real answers. How will they get those answers? By our love, the real love of God. Jeff Myers in his latest book Unquestioned Answers says “Believers need to remember that love for God involves loving what God loves.” This means loving ourselves and the people we know. It includes the people not like me, the people I like and the people I don’t. People who don’t know Jesus might be repelled by Christian beliefs, but we who follow Jesus hope they would be attracted to Christ followers by our loving character. Paul the Apostle’s apology of love is outlined in Romans 12:9-21 and 1 Corinthians 13. Wouldn’t it be a great compliment if someone said you personify the love in these passages? Choose some verses from them to memorize and emulate.

By Donna Burns