Anchor of Hope Jesus, Our Foundation
In western society, many of us have some heroic, individualistic view of our pilgrimage as believers. We often imagine ourselves with unrelenting abilities, a proficiency to achieve serious accomplishments without any human support. We suppose that nothing can stop us if we put our minds to the task. There is one problem with this philosophy; “The Lord… sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit.” (Luke 10:1) We have been commissioned to take the grace of God’s love to this world, together.
Last month we ventured out into the deep waters of “loving our neighbor” and what it means to actually live by love as a fulfilling of the Law. I’m not proposing another law system of works, but a lifestyle of love toward all, especially those who are moved by the story of our Savior. Granted, not everyone who hears of Jesus’ love for them is excited and ready to change the focus of their entire life, we can only dream. I’m speaking this month of loving those who are determined enemies, they bristle at any form of being loved by others, likely hating the story of Jesus, the God-man.
Another phrase Jesus spoke to His disciples catches our attention: “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.” (Luke 6:35) Honestly, I have struggled many times with this concept of unselfishly loving others in my journey of faith over the last 42 years. “Try” or “Don’t worry if you can’t” or “This is impossible, but…” are words I would like added to Luke’s writing, but I’m facing the same truth you are when it comes to love; God is love and is teaching us how to love the way He does. Let’s define His kind of love.
“Love is patient and kind.” (1 Corinthians 13:4) It’s not just pilgrims who make a pilgrimage: it’s pilgrims different from you. Our pilgrimage as believers is a journey to ultimate otherness. We are called to meet the gaze of Jesus in the strangers we learn to love, as we have been loved. I’m convinced, looking primarily at myself first, we are living in a world that demonstrates little of either quality Paul writes of in this verse. Most of us experience annoyance or exasperation in our daily routines and the cruelty all around the world nauseates us on various levels. Yet, we are called to explore and express something on a much higher plane altogether. At this point I believe the encouragement of like-minded pilgrims, waiting and watching together, is essential for us to consider. God’s work is not accomplished in lack of ideas.
James writes, “Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.” (James 5:7) The idea here might be better understood as James telling his readers to catch their breath for a long race (long endurance as opposed to short spurts of energy and then burnout). Granted, James writes these words to believers in the context of their suffering, but isn’t our lack of love often found in the throws of our own suffering? Once again, why James left out a phrase like, “be prepared because life happens in the midst of our attempts toward learning patience as we wait for the Lord to return.” Believers commonly suffer at the hand of the enemies of Christ. Patience can be a fleeting commodity in the face of trials and tests, like winter, which requires our patience until spring.
Martin Luther stated, “Winter looks like death, anger, and everything bad, as compared with the summer, which looks like life, grace, and all good things. God uses the winter for His own glorification, so that He can demonstrate His power by so easily transforming such a cold, hard, unfruitful time into a luxuriant, pleasant, and joyous summer.” The seasonal changes necessitate that we be patient. Love does too.
Another aspect of Paul’s definition, “Love is kind…” denotes a graciousness and a gentle behavior toward others. This aspect of love lends itself to being easy, even yielding to the temper and humor of those in his presence. The “virtuous and capable wife” spoken of in Proverbs 31:10 is also regarded as one whose “words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.” The law of kindness is in her lips; her heart is large, and her hands open. She is ready to show great favor and to do good. She seeks to be useful and not only seizes on opportunities of doing good, but searches for them. This is her general character.
What does all this talk of love really mean? Paul writes to the Colossians, “So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline.” (Col. 3:12; MSG) Jesus called his disciples to live a life of love toward one another and be an example of his love to this world of darkness. The question I continually ask myself in the day-to-day of my own pilgrimage is do I have this grace of love and if I do not, may God have mercy on me and help me fall in love with what is so exceedingly pleasant about it.
May the Lord grant us this experience of knowing being any doubt that we are loved and give us grace to love others with the love he has settled on toward us. A voice from the past, Philip Doddridge (1702-1751), wrote:
My God, and is Thy table spread? And does Thy cup with love o'erflow? Thither be all Thy children led, And let them all its sweetness know.
Wiser through His Love, Kurt Byrnes