This one may be a bit harder than normal to follow. I hope not but as I read it I lose myself once or twice. Sorry about that but I couldn't quite figure out what adjustments needed made.
Hello Friends,
I hope this finds everyone having a great day and looking forward to an excellent week. A few weeks back I talked briefly about how each time we read through scripture we can pick up something new that we had never thought about before. We can have favorite books of the bible or even verses for years and then one day read it again and have a new revelation jump out at us. This once again is something that happened to me a few weeks back. I had one small revelation that has in many ways forced me to try and change how I relate to others. Or should I say it’s given me a new lens to view others through. At first you wont see what the big deal is but stick with me and I think you’ll begin to track. Some may disagree, actually this time I kinda expect that to happen. That’s fine, I just ask that you consider it then feel free to tell me your disagreement.
A few years ago while reading through the Gospels I noticed that Jesus spent his ministry saying “Love your neighbor as you love yourself. This is recorded many different times throughout the gospels. (Matt 22:39, Mark 12:31, Luke 10:27) Then I noticed at the end of his time here he stepped it up a bit. In John 13: 34 Jesus says “ A new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you. He repeats this in John 15: 12-13 and spells out how he has loved us. “This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends.” I always looked at these verses and thought. “God is stepping it up. It is no longer good enough to love our neighbor as we love our self. Now we have to love our neighbor greater than we love ourselves.” Here we go, brace yourselves, wait for it, wait for it… I was wrong. There I said it. I was wrong. I was wrong because I didn’t continue reading. I was also wrong because I didn’t pay attention to the words (That usually does help a little). Before we continue on to the next verses lets look at what Jesus said in these. Chapter 13: 34 “A new commandment I give to you” STOP RIGHT THERE! That’s what I overlooked. He said a NEW command. Not “a replacement command” Not “a change to an old command” “A NEW COMMAND” But Larry, this command obviously trumps the other after all by following this one the other is followed as well. If we don’t read any further you’re right. But since we have to take it as a whole lets ad verse 35 of Chap 13 “A new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” He is telling his disciples to love EACH OTHER this way. He isn’t saying love everyone this way. Lets move on to Chapt 15 and ad verse 14 to the mix. “This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this. Than to lay down his life for his friends YOU ARE MY FRIENDS IF YOU DO WHATEVER I COMMAND YOU.” Verse 14 qualifies “who” he is talking about “His Disciples”. In other words “his followers” or those of us that have accepted him as our Lord & Savior. He is calling us to love our brothers and sisters in Christ greater than we love ourselves. The rest we just love as we love ourselves. So Larry, why is this such a big deal? Why not just stick with “Love everyone greater than ourselves?” I’m not going to go so far as to say you can’t do that. But let me go ahead and tell you where this is exciting to me. First of all I’ll admit that I have a hard enough time loving as I love myself because I really like myself a lot. Growing up it was very natural for me to pursue the best for me. I suspect that’s the same for all of us. Now you really expect me to love others greater than me? Not likely, not very likely. It’s just not going to happen unless I have developed some sort of relationship with them. Say a “Brotherly relationship” Even then it’s not likely unless I have help (Thank you Holy Spirit!) So separating the groups into two categories makes it all a bit easier. But here is where it really excites me. When we love someone as we love ourselves we are getting their attention. Nobody else treats them that well why are we? This causes them to begin watching us. After watching for awhile they notice we are treating each other “even better”. After all we are treating each other better than ourselves. (Sound familiar? The church in Acts? Read how they lived one more time.) After watching this for awhile they come up to us and ask “How can I be a part of that?” Next thing you know we are welcoming a new brother into the family. Evangelism at its best! Now lets follow the process in reverse. How many of us have ever had a brother or sister that was stuck in sin? Never mind, stuck means trying too but can’t get out. How many of you have ever had to confront a brother for living in sin even though they knew it was wrong? Matt 18: 15-17 tells us what to do. We are to confront one on one, then two on one, then bring them to the church. If they still do not change we are to treat them like a heathen or a tax collector. If we are treating everyone the same and then told to treat them like a heathen or tax collector then we need to turn our backs on them. But with this realization Christ doesn’t tell us to turn our backs on them. He says to treat them as a heathen or a tax collector. Hmm, Christ healed many that didn’t believe in him, one of his disciples was a tax collector. This means we are to love our “Fallen Brother” as we love ourselves. We haven’t turned our backs on him. We can still love him just as much as we love ourselves but if he is used to living in community he is used to so much more and hopefully will desire to join once again. I like that answer to confrontation so much better than the alternative. I’ve tried the alternative and must be honest. It sucks for all involved.
Larry, lets assume you’re right. We don’t have a community that looks like this. You are absolutely correct. I have an incredible community, one I thank God for daily and we aren’t there yet either. But that is no excuse to not strive for it. The model is there and with a bit of work, focus, love, and the help of the Holy Spirit I believe we can get there. I believe we have the “love each other as we love ourselves” pretty good but that’s not enough. We will get there and you can too. I know you can. Why? Because God says so!
What do we do until then? Larry what about 1 Cor 5 how do you reconcile all this with that? I have my theories about the 1 Cor passage but can’t give any definite answers. (I just felt the need to put it here in an effort of full disclosure.) I don’t have all the answers (Shocking I know) But I can say this… (Actually I heard a pastor say it just this morning) When you don’t know how to respond. While you are trying to figure out “What do we do until then?” Whenever you are in doubt just remember. God is love so “ALWAYS LEAD WITH LOVE”
Alright gang it’s another week! Lets begin with love and as always live it “Upside Down!"
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