So I started with myself and asked; “Am I loving my brothers and sisters in Christ the way that I am supposed to?” When I answered that question I found to my horror that I was not loving the way called me to love. What a shock right? Well not entirely! I knew something had to be up because of some of the looks that people would give and the way people would avoid conversations with me. I just thought they didn’t like me but it never dawned on me that I had been the one in the wrong. I started to spend some time in those verses from 2 Peter and evaluating myself and what I found was something that was very correctable and that I didn’t have to become an ostrich and bury my head in the sand. From that evaluation I had to decide what the best course I needed to take and one thing came to my mind.
Forgiveness!
Wow, what a simple thing! Well I guess that is easier said than done, as well. I know I have said things that might have hurt, insulted, or embarrassed someone at some point and I also know that in some of the relationships that I am a part of are strained not due to anything that I did but that still didn’t matter. I need to go and seek forgiveness from each person. Now I have started this process over the last few months and let me tell you God is doing amazing things. I know I am far from done in the process and really I don’t think I could ever get done because daily I think I stick my foot in my mouth. In that as well I have also learned that I do not need to dispute over silly debates of the law when one word sums them all up; LOVE! Instead of fighting with people over what I think is right and what they think is right I now try and keep my opinions to myself and speak of only the truth as it is in the Bible nothing more or less. I accept the correction that comes from when I get things wrong but now it is just how I need to love everyone around me.
Now I didn’t write this article just to be a testimony of what has been going on with me, I wrote it because I see the lack of love among believers today. We need to stop fighting with other and causing division among each other. This is not the life that God speaks of and definitely not the family He talks about either. Yes we need to tell each other the truth but it should be with love. We need to stop gossiping about one another and bringing each other down and lift each other up. We need to forgive but yet most importantly seek forgiveness. We need to stop being haughty and hateful and become humble and loving. We wonder why people have such a bad taste in their mouths about Christians, well look at how we treat each other. We spend more time fighting over music, seat colors, spiritual gifts and only God knows what else than loving each other. We care more about being right than just being in love with God, and when we are in love with God we love everyone around us. Francis Chan writes in his book “Crazy Love” this statement; “When we love we’re free! We don’t have to worry about a burdensome load of commands, because when we are loving, we can’t sin.” This statement is based off of the scripture Galatians 5:13-14.
So what we need to do is find that love that God has shown us and reciprocate it in the same way. If you have questions about how to do that then take a look at 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. When we as the ones who have received forgiveness and are in the grace of God’s love start to show it to others in the way He intended then you will see change.
Start a R[evol]ution! Join us in loving the world as God loves us!!!
In Christ: Keith
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