The Real part 4
In my life I have two lists. A list of things that are important--worth jumping a fence over--and a list of things that aren't important. The "important things" list really only has two things on it: God, and people. The other list gets things added to it every day. Logan doesn't even ask me what I mean anymore when I say, "Put it on the list!" He knows that it's something I don't care about. But this way of thinking CAN be pretty frustrating sometimes. Especially when other people (who are on the "important things" list, who I DO care about) spend so much of their time, talent, and treasure on things that AREN'T important. And I'm really not trying to be condescending, or anything like that. I know it's easy to get caught up in things. I know just because something isn't important to me doesn't mean it can't be important to you. I'm just saying that I think it's important to have your priorities straight. We ignore people sometimes in order to "serve God." Like... "Sorry, I can't help you. I have to go to church." And I hope you all know that I'm not anti-church. I'm just pro-people. People are real. Love is real. Loving people is real. In fact, I'm convinced that the best, most real way to love God is by loving people. 1 John 4:20 says it like this, "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" Remember when I Ranted about discipleship? People will know we are disciples because we have love one for another. It always comes back to love. Because that's what's real. That's the ONLY thing that's real. All this other stuff we get caught up in... does it really matter? Or should you put it on the list? Should you, "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you" (1 Peter 5:7 NLT)? Shouldn't we stop trying to force change, and just embrace the change that took place on the cross? Stop trying to get into the Kingdom and realize and understand that you are already IN the Kingdom. Because the Kingdom of God (the Kingdom of love) is within you! You already ARE the Kingdom! Because the Kingdom is where the King rules and reigns. He rules and reigns in us. We are kings and priests and we reign on this earth. We execute the righteous judgment that was handed down from Father to Son. The life sentence that was given when God raised Jesus (and us in Him) from the dead. To live is to love and to love is to live. Right? So real life is a life of love. Loving God and loving people. Loving God BY loving people. Loving people by receiving and releasing the love of God that He has filled us (to overflowing) with. Not trying to be someone we're not, or do something that's not natural to us, or fix something that's broken. But simply by being who we are, doing what we do in love and with love, and resting in the finished work of the cross. Two lists. One with lots of stuff... and one with the real. There's a whole lot of stuff out there in the world. But the only thing in the Kingdom is real love!