Clinton and I have been talking more about these things throughout this week. I was reminded of the following from Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz.
"I know a lot of people will not listen to the words of Christ because people like me, who know Him, carry our own agendas into the conversation rather than just relaying the message Christ wanted to get across."But this really wasn't the point of the last post. I wrote a bit hastily, it was definitely 'beta'; unedited and mildly censored.
What I was really trying to communicate was how quickly and easily God exposed me in this area of loving others as He loves them. All it took was for me to hear the few sentences that encapsulated this issue between the church and the school. I heard and then reacted. My first response was not of love - it was anger, frustration, how-could-they and what-scripture-was-that-decision-based-on?!
But, it didn't take long for the Holy Spirit to speak to my heart and remind me that all I can do is walk closely with Him so that my response to anything can be more like His. To those who don't know Him, I am to reach out in a loving way that they can understand. To those who do know Him, I am to love as a brother or sister. And, we are only instructed to confront the sin of another believer, so that they can be restored in their relationship with God, not the unbeliever. In the case of the church ending support of the school...I'm assuming this would fall in the category of believers...but that is a whole other post!
Bottom line for me...Follow Christ's basic command to love others as He has loved me - let my obedience and belief in God change my life. every. single. day. And, He promises to take care of the rest. Only He has the power to change hearts.
Some of my earlier posts were used to sort out my understanding of God's irrational love for me. I had originally intended to go through a natural progression; God's love for me, my love for Him and in turn, my love for others. The topic of the last post sort of fast-forwarded my thinking a bit. So, I'll let the Holy Spirit decide where I go from here. All I know is, at least for me, there is so much more to discover as God continues to pour out His lavish love over me. Thanks for coming along on the journey.
7 comments:
“My first response was not of love - it was anger, frustration, how-could-they and what-scripture-was-that-decision-based-on?!”
I hear what you’re saying. I know we’re challenged a lot to love and reach out to people that are different from us, or “unlovely,” like homeless people or something. But honestly, those aren’t the sort of people I have trouble loving, it’s the people who are just like who I used to be.
It’s easy to me to stop at their faults (which are often areas I struggle with myself, although theirs seem more pronounced somehow) and harbor bitterness and anger towards them, because it seems justified – like righteous indignation. But it’s not – I’m not seeing them like God sees them, I’m not even trying.
Thanks so much for sharing your journey.
IL, please don't be quite so hard on yourself. I didn't take it as much more than frustration. I wish I could count how many times when I'm talking with someone who doesn't know Christ, and having to try to convince them that "NO, church ain't like THAT", or "NO, God's DEFINITELY like THAT.", especially when topics like the one in your last post come up. It's just a fact that, like it says in the DC Talk song, and I'm paraphrasing, "people see Christians profess Him with our lips, then go and live lives that are in direct contrast to what He teaches. That, is what an unbelieving world, finds unbelievable."
Hang in there. Don't miss the hugeness of the fact that you see this issue in yourself and want God to fix it.
In response to zeph317 about the DC Talk song, it's so easy for everyone to see the problems when what we profess doesn't match our actions but what if what we profess matches all of our actions to a "T" and the unchurched person still says "it's not for me". Do we just say oh well, we all have a choice and I guess their choice is hell, oh well. Or do we dig deeper to see where I in all of my "rightness" might be hindering someone from coming to the Lord? This is a question I have asked myself recently and God is giving me an eyeful.
Good point, Anon. However, if we're truly living what we profess, then we'll be more concerned with loving others and worshipping God than "being right". The truth is, by Jesus' blood, we ARE "right", so any attempts at "being right" usually, at least in my own life, stem out of an area of unbelief that says "I'm not". God's showing me all the self-righteousness and pride in me here lately, too, though, so I see what you mean.
Great point zeph 317. Thank-you!!
"Fanna" (I love that!) - you hit it...said it so well. I know we aren't alone in this. Thanks for our talk yesterday and for walking toward Him with me.
zeph & anon. - I loved listening in on your conversation. It is so great to hear from others who really are living out their authentic, life-changing relationship with the only authentic, life-changing God. You both are inspiring...even more so now that I know who 'anon.' is. :)
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