I went through a stage in my life where I sincerely lived with a "don't cross oceans for someone who wouldn't jump puddles for you" mentality. I thought it made me all the better to dish out to other people what they were serving me. I justified my actions based on a skewed view of the "Golden Rule". I convinced myself that "do unto others as you would like done unto you" really ment "give other people back what they give you." So for months I was hateful to hateful people, and acted out of spite towards people because of their own attitudes. If someone didn't go out of their way to spark a conversation with me, I wouldn't dare go out of my way for them.
Living with that attitude was detrimental to how I viewed people, and ultimately how other people viewed me. Now the last thing I want is for someone to assume I am a malicious, hateful human being. I like to think I am a little better than that. But that attitude was causing me to live a life that was opposite of my calling. As a Christian, we are called to be (literally) "little christs". Meaning that we need to have his attitude toward ALL people. Young and old, rich and poor, greedy and giving, everyone. No exceptions. When we decide to pick up the cross and follow Christ we sign up for two (seemingly) simple tasks:
- Love God
- Love People
I don't struggle as much with the first one much as I do the second. I am notorious for letting other people actions and attitudes effect my own. Now, Luke 6:31-36 says this: "Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
To sum this up; I've been living my life with the completely wrong attitude. Opposed to dishing out what I've received in the past, I need to begin giving out what I would want given to me. If God himself lived with my attitude, he would have never sent his Son to die for all of us. He knew when he sent Jesus that there would be many, many people who didn't believe in him, and who would act out of spite towards him. Yet he was still driven by love, and sent the One he loved the most for people who would still deny his name. Now what I have gotten out of Luke 6:31-36 is this: Love like Jesus. Jesus not only saw past racial, social, and gender differences, he also saw past people's attitudes and emotions. Jesus knew people would hurt him mentally, physically, and emotionally for all of his life, yet he still loved them with the same love of his Heavenly Father.
Jesus didn't just cross oceans for people who wouldn't jump over puddles for him. He crossed the galaxies for people who would hurt him, hate him, and hang him on a cross. Jesus walked on water to someone he knew would ultimately deny him three times.
So my question is this: What kind of example is that for me? If I am called to love like Jesus does, then puddle jumping versus ocean crossing should be least of my worries. I'm not just called to do to others as I would have them do to me, but I am called to show them a love that they haven't experienced before. This love doesn't just cross oceans, it crosses galaxies. It goes from holding stars to clenching the finger of Mary: from the throne room of God, to a stable in a dusty village. What does your love do?
No comments:
Post a Comment