Whatsoever part 5
Back to where we started. Colossians 3:17, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." To me this is a vitally important memory verse. To me, this is another way of saying that love is unconditional. Because the emphasis is on YOU and what YOU are doing. Not on whether anybody "deserves" anything. I quote Unforgiven all the time: "Deserve's got nothing to do with it." You don't love people because they deserve it, or because they've earned it. You love people because its in your heart to love people. Because its your nature. That's what "in the name of the Lord Jesus" means. Because His name is His nature. His name is YOUR name. Look at Revelation 2:17 really quick: "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it." I believe, just as God promised all of us ONE new heart, there is only ONE name written on that white stone. And that name is Jesus. That nature is love. The reason no man knows it except him who receives it is that we don't know our true identity until we receive HIM. Because He IS our true identity. As He is, so are we in this world. We are in Him because He is in us. And there is no separation to be found. So when Colossians 3:17 admonishes us to do whatsoever we do in love... I'm telling you that any time you DON'T act in love--which, by the way, is charity. Love in action--you're going against your true nature. We are not sinners trying to be saints. We are the righteousness of God in Christ. The trick is not trying really hard to figure out what Jesus would do and then trying really hard to do that thing. That's too much trying. Too much works and labor. The trick is knowing who you really are, and simply BEING who you really are. Knowing that you are loved. And because you are loved, you CAN love. Knowing that not only are you loved... but knowing that you are LOVE. Jesus is God in the flesh, love in a body. God in YOUR flesh. Love in YOUR body. God is love. And as He is, so are we in this world. (Did I already say that? Well, you learn best through repetition, right Dad?) My point is, doing what you do in love is not the chore we make it out to be. We talk about "fake it til you make it." Or about loving people even when its hard. But I find, the more I love people... the easier it is. Especially when I'm so full of how much my heavenly Father loves me that I'm not even worried about what other people are doing. I don't take things personally, even if they are personal. I just love everybody. Its so much easier that way. Its so much easier to just let what's inside come out. But the only way you can do that is when we know and believe that its in there. Otherwise you'll do whatsoever you do in order to GET love. But love is never about getting. Because love IS giving. And we already have it. We don't need to do anything to get it. God already gave it to us. So, freely you have been given, freely give. Receive it and release it. Embrace who you really are. Let the love that's inside come out in everything you say and everything you do. Live Jesus' abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life of love by letting Jesus live it in you, and through you, and as you!