“Love one another…as I have loved you.”1 These are some of the last words Jesus spoke to His disciples before his crucifixion. The world does not understand this kind of love. The world says: Love those who love you. Love those who look like you, talk like you and agree with you. The world divides people into groups instead of bringing them together as a whole. But Jesus shows us a different way. He loves everyone.
Jesus loved the leper and the lame. He loved the tax collector as well as the Pharisee who came to Him under the cover of night. Jesus loved even as He was dying when He asked John to care for His mother after He was gone. He looked on each one of these with love and knew all of them by name. He looks on you and me with love and calls on each of us to love like He does.
If you are reading this blog, I’m guessing that you have a desire to love like Jesus too. But it’s certainly not easy. We are pulled by how the world loves vs. how Jesus loves. Our hearts long to show this new way to love to the world but we trip over ourselves and fail every day. If you are out in society at all, you are surrounded by people who don’t look like you, don’t speak like you and don’t necessarily agree with you. It’s a challenge sometimes to simply get along with people in your workplace, your neighborhood and even in your church.
How do we meet this challenge and succeed? First, we must recognize that it is ok to be different. Each one of us is unique and we bring to the table our own special gifts and talents that we share with those in our circle of influence. We don’t have to see things the same way or agree with each other all the time. However, we must love each other enough to work through our differences even if it means we respectfully agree to disagree. Besides, it would be very boring if each one of us looked and acted the same. Diversity makes life interesting and exciting. There is so much to learn from each other if we take the time to pay attention and listen.
I’m not here to say that I have my attitude all together and know how to love the way Jesus loved. I mess up on a daily basis. It’s really easy for me to love on the babies that come in our clinic for well child checks. However, it can sometimes be difficult to do the same for the homeless man who hasn’t bathed for weeks. I think the primary reason I work at a community health center is to smooth out my rough edges. God is reshaping me into the person I’m supposed to be. He’s doing the same with all my co-workers. We smooth the rough edges off each other when we determine to show love no matter what. Even when we mess up, we give each other a second chance (and sometimes 7×70 chances).
The second thing we need to remember to succeed in love is that we can’t do this on our own. Human will power just doesn’t cut it. We need God-power to love like Jesus. When Jesus left this world, He promised to send His Spirit to guide us in His stead. Too often, we try to do everything on our own and don’t bother to ask the Spirit to help us until we have failed. Before your day begins, even before your feet touch the floor when you get out of bed, ask the Spirit to be with you in all your encounters and conversations. When I remember to invite the Spirit to go with me, my day will invariably go much better even if the circumstances are stressful.
So, let’s not allow the world to divide us but let us celebrate our differences as we ask the Spirit to help us love each other as Jesus loves us.
1 John 13:34
