Accepting Embrace part 4
People don't want to spend time with people who are constantly criticizing them, always condemning them, and trying to get them to change. That's the kind of thing that gets people to run FROM God instead of running TO Him. And that, in large part, is what the church has become. We seem to think it's our job to be "Kingdom Cops." To make sure people are acting like "good Christians." But guys... that's NOT our job. Our job, in a Word, is to love. Period. Exclamation point. Look at Romans 13:8, "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." The perfect law of liberty. The New Commandment. Love one another as Jesus loves us. Listen, love is not something that needs to be--or CAN be--earned. Love is freely given. Love IS giving. And it can't be earned. It can only be received. And it can only be received through the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of truth is our love receptor. It testifies of our true identity by testifying of Jesus! We are the righteousness OF God IN Christ! That's who we are in Him because that's who He is in us. This journey that is never-ending, eternal, everlasting, abundant, Resurrection Life is not us "changing." It is Jesus revealing the change that took place on the cross. Jesus revealing our perfection by revealing His perfection in us, and through us, and as us. It isn't "becoming" something, but instead discovering what--LOVE--and who--JESUS--we really are. And I gotta tell you, it's hard to discover who and what you are if you're always trying to be someon else. If you're too busy hiding the "bad stuff." That's why James 5:16 tells us to, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." When we confess our faults to one another we (should be able to) find understanding. Because my faults and your faults are basically the same. We human beings are a lot more alike than we seem to realize. We go through the same things. Remember Hebrews 4:15, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin." Jesus has been there, done that, and got the t-shirt. And in a large sense we've all been there. When you're going through something it seems like nobody understands. But He does. And your neighbor--your brother--probably does to. That's where understanding comes in. I'm convinced that many times we go through something so that we can help others get through the same thing. So we can understand where they're coming from and where they're going. And if we can understand them, we can accept them. And if we can accept them we can love them. True love is laying your life down for your friends. But in order to consider someone your "friend" you have to do more than tolerate them. And you can't try to change them. You have to accept them. You have to understand them. And then you can love them. Then you can help them, without judging them. You can look down on them... but only to help them up. And you can realize that it's not that far from where they are to where you are. We're all in this together, so we ought to embrace each other and help each other. And love each other...!