Great and Small part 3
I keep thinking about that cup of water. You know, "And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward" (Matthew 10:39). The example of love that Jesus gave us. Someone's thirsty and you give meet their need. Not making sure they've said, "the sinner's prayer," or that they attend YOUR specific kind of church. Not putting a yoke on them or putting them under the Law of Moses. Not judging them or condemning them. No. Loving them in a practical way. Letting the rubber meet the road and letting love be more important than "theology." I really think we miss the point a lot of the time. It seems like it's more important to be "right" than to be kind. More important to be religious than to have relationship. And that's backwards. James 2:15-16 says it like this, "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?" See... words are important but it wasn't until the Word was made flesh that things really got exciting. And what does it mean for the Word (which is Jesus, which is love) to be made flesh? To me it's the difference between "love" and "charity." The Apostle Paul uses that word charity in his letters. And I always wondered why. Why not just use love? Then God told me that charity is love IN ACTION. It's not an idea... it's the carrying out of that idea. It's, again, the rubber meeting the road. It's when we put what we believe into action. Faith without works is dead. Because if you REALLY believe it, then you act on it. That's what faith is. It's not just something you talk about, or thinkn about. It's something you DO. It's not head knowledge... it's heart knoweldge. It's not knowing ABOUT God... it's KNOWING God. In the context of relationship. In the context of a Father who unconditionally loves His Son. That's why (and how) we can unconditionally love each other. Because we have that connection. That relationship. And having that relationship with each other IS loving each other. Not putting out hoops for people to jump through, and if they make it up to our standard then we'll accept them... but seeing a need in someone and filling it. "And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise" (Luke 3:10-11). It may seem small--clothing the naked, feeding the hungry--but, really, it's the greatest thing you can do. Meeting a need. On a personal level. Being there for someone who feels like they don't have anybody. Small stuff. Great stuff. You may not be "changing the world," but if you help ONE person... you can change THEIR world.