Sometimes I wonder if this is just too simple for people to understand. Or, maybe, it's just not creative enough. Regardless of the reasoning, in a church culture that is looking for the latest fad and the latest program to get people to "come to church" and thus "come to the Lord" - we are missing out on the greatest tool for revolution the world has ever seen: L-O-V-E.
Love God:
Most of us know that this is the 1st and greatest commandment. We realize that Scripture has an awful lot to say about our love for God and the quality of that love. However, we tend to miss it in the interpretation. And by interpretation I mean how we live it out. It doesn't really matter how much I understand the love of God in theory. It really doesn't matter how many Bible verses I can quote about the love of God. What the world is looking for and what should be required in our lives is a genuine, deep, and intimate love for God.
Love Others:
After saying that Love of God was the 1st commandment, Jesus went on to say that the 2nd greatest is like it - Love your neighbor as yourself. Somewhere or another we have missed the interpretation of this verse as well. We forget Jesus teaching about the "Good Samaritan" and the question "Whose your neighbor?" What I have seen in many churches is that we typically just love the people who are just like us. We love the people who believe what we believe, go through the same religious motions that we go through, and run in the same circles as we run. The Samaritans in Jesus' day were not just anyone. They were considered dogs. They were considered outside of the love of God and untouchable by the promises of God. And yet Jesus always messed with this mindset. He was always willing to embrace the "outsiders." He was always willing to bring people into contact with the Love of God through Him. Should we be any different?
Serve Both:
I want to be careful here because many people have taken this simple approach to life and made it a program in the church. Geesh...why do we always do that? "Servanthood Evangelism" (for example) isn't servanthood. It's evangelism. I'm okay with people wanting to share the Gospel with others but let's be honest about it. Serving people is NEVER about getting something in return. Why do you think Jesus took the time to encourage people to invite others to dinner who could not invite them in return? Or to give to people who could not give back in return? The point is very simple: Doing for others, serving others, and giving to others without the expectation of receiving is true servanthood. It's true love. Love is not selfish. Love is willing to give of itself without any expectations.
Bringing it home:
I hope that I'm challenging your way of thinking today. The reality of what I'm sharing with you when lived out is quite amazing. Love for God looks like something. It comes out in our worship, in our time spent with Him, and in our devotion to the things that matter to His heart. Love for God also looks like love for my neighbor. It's loving the people that were made in His image. It's loving people who may not have the capacity to love you back. Love for God and for others looks like service. It is shown in the conversations about life, marriage, and difficulties. It is shown in incredible acts of kindness, and in the most simple tasks. It looks like dinner, a cup of coffee, a card of encouragement, and financial help. Love that leads to service takes on various forms. I have seen love pumping gas into the car of an elderly lady. I have seen love putting a tarp on a roof that was just torn apart by a tornado. I have seen love go into prisons to visit people who have no one that will come. I have seen love give a kid a lollipop, a stranger a greeting, and an enemy forgiveness. Love isn't a program in a church or a rule that can be regulated. Love is the very essence of God. And we have the opportunity to share it with the whole world.
It is said of the believers in the book of Acts that they "turned the world upside down." I'm starting to realize that they were actually turning it right-side up. The community the followers of Christ shared with one another was a shining example of what was available to everyone. Their love for God. Their love for others. Their loving service to both. It created the possibility for the "and God added to the church daily those who were being saved." What could these 6 simple words do for us today? I think it would be safe to say that we could open up the door for an "and God" moment.
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