Known By Our Love

yesterday, as i was mingling right inside the doors of oak hills (church) i was humbled by the tiniest act of authentic love. this couple, who had recently welcomed their new baby into the world just days before, had brought their new addition to show her off to everyone. as people gathered around to sneak a peak and chat with the new parents, a few grocery bags of homemade food were dropped off around their feet and next to the car seat. being a friend of the couple, i walked with them out to their car to help load up the food. as we were loading it up and saying our goodbyes, i couldn't help but feeling blessed by this simple, yet beautiful act of authentic love shown to these people by members of our body who just wanted to love on them.

lately, i've had conversations with various friends about how the typical american church is known by anything and everything except authentic love. we put on these massive performances at Christmas time with flashy lights and spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to pull these insane operations off. we look at our leaders, pastors, and ministers sitting up high on their pedestals because we've placed them there and they either don't realize it or don't feel the need to come down. we build these fancy buildings with expensive novelties to attract "un-churched people" so that they might feel like they're not really stepping foot in a church; to make them feel comfortable... we spend so much time in our fast powered boats trying to camouflage ourselves so that we can "get the numbers" by a sneak attack here or a hurried service there. 

the biggest characteristic of a Christ-centered church is that the body is knitted together in love. our individual walks with God ought to be community projects. we can't do it by ourselves. how will people know we are followers of Christ? they need to see how we love. that's when the community around us will notice the church. when its members are actively and passionately loving each other... the people sitting next to us on Sunday mornings or Wednesday nights. 

"love your neighbor as yourself" the bible says. 1 thessalonians 4:9 talks about how we are directly taught by God to love. "now about brotherly love we do not need to write you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other." you already love yourself so figure out how to love your neighbor- say "God, teach me how to love...". Christian brotherhood is not an ideal which we must realize, it is already a reality created by God in Christ in which we participate.  

the church needs to be like-minded in this. if we can do this; be like-minded and gushing with authentic love to each other, the "outsiders" looking in will know us for that. not by our fancy buildings and signs or expensive retreats. we'll be known by our love. 

after all, Jesus founded His empire on love. want to be like Jesus? wash the feet of your neighbor. bring a meal for a family who might be overwhelmed. pray about being aware of the divine appointments God has set up for you throughout your day. let's not zoom through the busyness of each day like we all do and let's just sail along with the wind of God's voice in our sail, directing us to those who need to be shown true, authentic love. 

help me not to be okay just because everything is okay with me. i want to feel the pain that someone else feels... i want to rejoice when others have something to rejoice about... i want to ask, "how can i love you today?" and then i want to actually do it... joyfully.