The Rule of Love
I have never been really good at Romanitc love. If you ask any of my ex-girlfriends they would probably tell you the same thing. I'm just not very good at it. I think about myself to much, I don't think about what she would like to do, I don't listen enough. Frankly sometimes I never really cared to listen to the emotions and the needs from my girlfriend at the time. Now I've grown a lot in these past 11 months of being single...But what is funny to me is that sometimes that same lack of love or desire to even try to love someone is ever so present in the church.I was watching a video the other day by a guy named Rob Bell. In this video Rob talks about and to the "Bullhorn" guy. The guy who stands on the street coner and preaches a message of anger and hatred to the world. This message that tries to convert people without loving them. Rob puts it as "loving with an angenda" That really isn't love is it. I began to think about God's love with an agenda. Does God love with an Agenda??? NO not at all!!! Infact it's the exact opposite. God loves despite who we are...Even with all of our flaws, sins, thoughts, hatred, anger, disbelief. and the fact sometimes we just don't care, He loves us.
So then, the rule of love with God is to love us inspite of who we are. There is nothing we can do that can affect the way God loves us...He can't love us more and He can't love us less. So then why do we change the rule of love? Why is it that when I'm attacked by someone in the church or out of it, I turn my back on them? Why is it that when someone in our church admits to sin so they can change things they become not good enough to be in the church? Does that even make sense....No! Why would a lost and broken world want to be apart of a moment of "love" when we don't love each other. The Rule of love can not change...We must fight to love each other inspite of who each are. I recognize that there are some I won't get along with but with the revolutionary love that Jesus has given me, I will love the way that I have been loved. My challenge to the church is to humble yourself, recongnize the fact you are love inspite of everything YOU are, and love the way you have been loved by the Father!
"And may you know that HOW YOU LOVE OTHERS IS HOW YOU LOVE GOD" Rob Bell
posted by Micah Dormann @ 3:13 PM
6 Comments:
Rob Bell says "love wins."
However, Nazareth says "love hurts." I think Nazareth has a good point. Love hurts on several layers:
1. Love can involve painful sacrifice
2. When it's not returned
3. When it's misunderstood/miscommunicated
Bottom line: the more love you show the more you grow...and you take the pain of sacrifice, the unreturned love, and the misunderstood love and you press on towards the prize of self-actualization, even if no one else see's it.
"HOW YOU LOVE OTHERS IS HOW YOU LOVE GOD"
True, but loving God and loving others is different, right? This is something that has been on my mind lately... They are two completely different commands. ...and at times it seems like loving others is easier than loving God. [This doesn't necessarily have anything to do with your post, but the thought was sparked by that last comment].
Phil and Tim:
Thanks man, i agree with both of you...I think what i have been wrestling with is that I have seen a lot of lack of love in the church. It's been a really challenging thing when you're surronded by people who love you at IWU but you get to where people aren't your biggest fan anymore and they attack...it might now be me that i'm talking about but it's just that I've seen a lot of people not give grace for sin...it's either you're perfect or your not! I don't think that thought process...I agree with what you both said...and will impliment that in my teaching for sure!
Micah, it great to see you still wrting, I love what you have to say. Thanks for giving us a little glimpse into your heart. I'd love to hear form you and how North Carolina is. Later bro.
Jim although I accept you're comments as something i should read...I don't really agree with you...Why are you trying to divide believers. I believe Rob Bell is speaking truth...There are too many people telling others that they are going to hell without loving them. Shouldn't we care about who they are as well before we slam the gospel down their throat? Just wonderin about the fact if we should care for the person before we try to save them? Isn't that what Jesus did?
Jim:
Thank you for your response...I find this one a little less attacking I'm not going to lie...But please know that I believe that the Gospel is offensive on it's own...I'm not going to offend anyone before the Gospel has a chance to do it....I'm not going to tell them their sins the first time I meet them but I will trust in the Word and share the Word with them...and I believe that is where I risk offending someone...I am not ashamed of the Gospel and it's power and I'm not afraid to share that with anyone...Thank you for your comments and I hope that the LORD continues to help you in your attempts to reach others for Christ...
Micah
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