A More Excellent Way

"Let me show you a more excellent way. LOVE..." This is what I heard when thinking about Paul's letter to the Corinthians. Something, that quite honestly, is easy to forget.

I've been accused of sounding like a hippie, but I assure you that this type of LOVE IS NOT the "free love" of the 60's. Neither am I advocating some type of marshmallow type of love that cannot handle the difficult things. No, what I'm referring to is the type of LOVE that doesn't mind getting its hands dirty. The kind of LOVE that can withstand even the greatest of tragedies and circumstances. A LOVE that is not rooted in our ability but does require our participation. The AGAPE (LOVE) of God. That which is unconditional, unmerited, and unrestrained. A LOVE that goes beyond all of our preconceived notions. The very same LOVE that was demonstrated at the Cross of the Christ.

I'm amazed at how quickly we forget that the love that Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13 is the greatest power in Heaven and on Earth. That we often assume that it is much greater to speak in the tongues of men and angels, to have the faith to move mountains, and to possess the ability to understand all mysteries. All of these, according to the Apostle, pale in comparison to LOVE. Which, translated into our lives, is the grace to walk in the very essence of God.

Paul had been dealing with some great schisms among the believers. It seems as though it didn't take long for the church to begin to divide into various groups. Some of them devoted to one teacher or another. Others using their spiritual gifts as a way to climb the ecclesiastical ladder. Paul, explaining the way in which the Spirit of God graces each and every one of us with various gifts, moves the conversation through a powerful transition. While all of these gifts are great, there is a more excellent way. L-O-V-E.

I realize that this poses many problems for us. While many of us affirm the need for LOVE, and even the command to LOVE one another, the reality is that we tend to give a nod in LOVE'S direction but continue to pursue the other things. For the Apostle, LOVE was the greatest of things to be named among us. The one thing that had great eternal value. The benchmark with which all other gifts and abilities would be measured. We may be able to prophecy the paint off the wall but without LOVE we are nothing. What a huge contrast to how we perceive God's activity among us.

What if the greatest among us are not the ones who can preach like no other?
What if our effectiveness in the world is not tied to what we know or do not know?
What if the Father is after something more lasting among us than our ability to communicate a gospel message?
What if LOVE is more than the foundation but also the culmination of all that we do?

LOVE is patient and kind. Therefore, it points to a greater reality of the nature of God.

LOVE doesn't get tied up in all of the junk that we do. So there isn't a need to envy, boast, or become arrogant and rude.

The fact that LOVE does not insist on its own way tells us that we have far to go in seeing this perfect LOVE embodied in us. Since even the greatest among us can become irritable or resentful when we don't get what we want.

Paul seemed to really drive the point home about LOVE not rejoicing at wrongdoing since the Corinthians had been propping up people who were living immoral lifestyles. No, says Paul, LOVE rejoices when the truth wins out in our lives.

This morning I was struck with the way in which one of our English translations stated that LOVE does not take into account a wrong suffered. I wonder how many hours I've given to this type of wrong thinking?

LOVE bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. How many of the other gifts can make this claim?

LOVE NEVER ENDS.

Shouldn't those last three words clue us in to the greatest need among us? Should not this enduring quality of LOVE move us toward a greater pursuit? Rather than chasing after the gifts of the Spirit, jockeying for position among the believers, or seeking to justify our spirituality among one another; what if we decided that LOVE would be the greatest among us? Determine in our hearts that LOVE is the more excellent way.

Personally, un-apologetically, I would rather be remembered for the LOVE that I demonstrated than for the gifts that operated within me. I would rather be honored for LOVE than for preaching, for compassion rather than success, and for mercy rather than ministry. While I love sharing in the prophetic, seeing the mountains move, and speaking through the enablement of the Spirit; the reality is that those things don't mean as much to me as they once did. LOVE means the most because I have discovered that it is here that we experience the reality of God. Is this not the reality that the Apostle John was pointing towards when he said, "So we have come to know and to believe the LOVE that GOD has for us. GOD is LOVE, and whoever abides in LOVE abides in GOD, and GOD abides in him."?

I do believe the Spirit is speaking to the church today. "Come. Let me show you a more excellent way. LOVE!"

FINALLY!!!

Greetings friends. I know that it has been a while. I have been to Ukraine since we last spoke, baseball season is upon us, and life continues to roll on. It's great to share with you again. I hope that you will be encouraged.

I jumped on here today to talk about one thing and one thing only. THIS IS US. The new series that airs on NBC every Tuesday evening. Have you watched it? It really is quite the phenomenon. Seems as though everyone I know is watching it, recording it, or catching up to it. My wife and I began watching this show from the very beginning. It's been quite a while since we had a TV show. You know, the kind that you just cannot miss. Each episode is set to record just in case. And all I know to say at this point is: FINALLY!!! There is finally a show on television worth investing in. A show that speaks to family (regardless of what that family looks like). A show that has done something that hasn't been done in a long time. It presents a father that is engaged with his family. Quite refreshing.

I realize that I'm a little late with this post. I'm sure that others have already shared some of the same sentiments that I want to express. However, this needs to be said. All of the networks need to understand that there is a hunger among so many in America to view programs such as this one. They also need to know that it's not just the middle class, white, conservative Christian, Americans that want to see it. There's people from all walks of life, all types of backgrounds and cultures, who have found this show to be intriguing, inspiring, and absolutely invigorating.

Recently I read a blog post from someone who was talking about Jack Pearson (the father) and how people have waited decades to see a dad portrayed in this light. Which is one of the many reasons I love the show. Here is a man, a husband, a father of three, doing everything in his power to create a home, raise a family, and truly invest his life into the people he loves. He's not stupid. He's not disengaged. He's in the middle of it all. So involved that he's often referred to as a superhero. It's almost too good to be true. In fact, many have wondered if the writers have set us up. If they are just waiting to pull away the curtain and reveal someone other than this amazing father. It remains to be seen. Until then...I'm believing that they purposefully intended for us to love this character as much as the other people within the show.

Which brings me to why I'm writing about a television series. An important statement in and of itself. This isn't a movie. This is a show that people are intentionally watching every week. They are taking the time to watch this drama unfold every Tuesday evening (or whatever time they have set aside to watch). Of course, it has its nuances. Actually dealing with real life issues. Things that we see play out for us every day and in every generation. All the while doing it in a way that doesn't seem to make a polarizing statement. I appreciate that. Especially considering that you can't even watch ESPN without hearing something political anymore. This show has captured the hearts of millions of viewers and at least has us thinking about family in whatever context we understand it.

Maybe that is why I love the show. There is something rather wholesome about it. A purity of heart that seems to be expressed by the writers and actors. All of the struggles seem real. All of the problems are real problems. We see the difficulty of marriage, of raising kids, of sibling rivalry, of dealing with death, and of how to properly embrace life. There is something genuine here and it has grabbed the attention of our population. That is a good thing.

I asked my wife the other night: "I wonder how many people look at Jack Pearson and wish there husbands were like him?" I wonder inside myself how many men look at him and wonder if that is really possible? Can a dad be that engaged? Can a husband be that selfless? Can any of us really overcome the inner struggles that would love to ruin every good thing in our life? I believe, in the end, we will hear of stories of men and women who were inspired by this portrayal of the American family. It's not sanitized. It's not portrayed in the awkward Christian bubble of how married people are supposed to behave. No, instead it is gritty, passionate, gut-wrenching, and honest. And for that, those of us who have watched it are extremely thankful.

So...why is a pastor blogging about the merits of a TV show from a national network. Honestly? It's because we need shows that are family positive. We need the substance. We need to move out of the fake "reality TV" junk and move into this type of creativity. People have grown tired of shows that pretend to focus on real life. This fact is seen in the knee jerk reaction of many producers thinking that they have to take greater risks. Show more sex. Push everything to the limit of what can be said or shown on television. Instead, the greater population is watching "This Is Us." Which reminds me of the time that the Waltons became so popular. There is an audience for this kind of programming. A large audience. An audience that will watch a show on their station, see the commercials that are sponsoring the show, and generate the revenue they are hoping to generate. I hope they are paying attention to what seems to be so obvious to me. Americans still care about family. They believe in it with all of its flaws. They hope for better. They strive for better. They believe in better. Shows like "This Is Us" has tapped into the hope that we all carry.

Maybe this isn't what you expected after my little sabbatical. I don't know. I just simply like sharing what I see happening in the world that gives me great encouragement. I see a shift in our thinking. I hear the heart cry of so many people. And I see the arts giving a voice to what is going on inside of us. That, my friend, is a beautiful thing. Family has taken center stage. Let's celebrate it.