I, like most other Christians, have a tendency to separate the “sacred” from the “secular,” or at least categorize people, places, and things by my own definitions of holiness. As a result, I tend to fall into the legalistic, self-condemning trap- I haven’t read my Bible or prayed enough recently, therefore I am less righteous far away from Him. I have do something “right” to get back on track. I forget the attractiveness and comprehensiveness of God; I forget that He is more involved with every detail and moment of my life than my very breath or the people closest to me. And I forget that He calls me outside of myself and my own pursuit of righteousness to the people around me.
I forget that He Himself is Love. By His very nature He is selfless and others-focused.
I used to act overly-spiritual because it made me feel superior to others in a certain sense. I love spending time with Him in the quiet place, where He reveals so much to me about Himself and the world. There are seasons when He feels so close to me, and His Word comes to life in a vibrant way for me. I have been given words by His Spirit and been able to share my knowledge with others. But I cringe to think how I have used that as a tool of separation at times, rather than to bridge relationships. Jesus never exalted Himself; He allowed His Father to do that. We don’t need to speak for ourselves or pretend to be better than we are. All we are called to do is love one another as we love Him.
Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Romans 13:10
The more I look at the world and the person of Jesus, and the more I see people who look like Him, I realize that the key quality is humility. The people who are loving others the most and don’t draw attention to themselves, who may even seem very ordinary and inconspicuous, may be the very ones we should imitate. They don’t always speak in Scripture or have a gleam in their eyes, but they pour themselves out steadily and lovingly for the Kingdom. I want to be like that.
Talk is cheap. Action is everything. God is everywhere all the time, and while it is important to set aside time for prayer and Scripture reading, it is also imperative that we spend our time seeking ways to love others- because this is the fullness of the expression of our love for Him. Out of a true love for God comes the natural impulse of loving others; they are not separate. Loving others is the same as loving Him, and it is a choice. We all know how it feels to be loved unconditionally by another person; how it can actually change who we are. How it makes us desire to transform and become better, more loving people. This is but a dim reflection of God’s love for us. And this is how we are called to love others.
Time is short and fleeting; we can either spend it working on ourselves, under the guise of becoming more “holy” and “righteous,” or we can live lives devoted to serving others and loving them as God loves them. As we focus more on Him and others, and less on ourselves, we actually become more like the people He wants us to become anyway. Self-focus never helps us grow; only when we turn our attention towards His purpose for us in this broken world (which is just to love people, whatever form that takes) do we actually “find ourselves”- when we give up our lives for His sake. This is how the fruit is produced, and it’s not something we can control. We are His agents, and we can either respond and obey, or continue to hide behind our “spirituality.” His love is practical, everyday love, and it is meant for everyone, regardless of who they are.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
His love is threefold, in that it starts within Himself in the Trinity, and then overflows to us, which then we overflow to others. It multiplies, so therefore the more we love Him and allow Him to love us, the more we will be able to love others, and the more we will see everything through the lens of love. It will become so natural and habitual that we won’t even need to think about it; it will become a way of life. I miss the point so often, and it is so incredibly simple. It is certainly not easy, but it is the only way to a truly fulfilling life. Our love for others is the fullness of the expression of His love for us, so therefore way of the cross is the way of love. Love suffers for others, and so if we truly love we will suffer as well, but it is well worth the cost. Jesus would not have laid down His life for us if it wasn’t.
rhythms of grace 