After seeing the I-heart film, We're All in this Together, I was so broken, moved, challenged, enlightened, convicted, angry, speechless, encouraged... so many emotions. So much injustice. So little it seems that we can do for people. I really like what Joel said: "I've come to find out that I don't know much about anything, except the ONE thing." Love. And the film was turned from the hunger, the hopeless, the ignorant, and spoke of the One whose love has saved us all. Beautiful. Mother Teresa also said it well: "Jesus didn't tell us to love the whole world; he told us to love one another." Which of course means that if we would start loving everyone we come in contact with, the whole world would be changed. Can you imagine?
What is love? It's not easy. It's not about how much we enjoy something, and so therefore, we "love" it. I hate when I use that word so freely, for it is a name of a holy God. Love. In it's right definition found in 1 Corinthians 13, it's a hard thing to attain. I've found that true love can only be lived out through the nature of the One who IS love. Makes sense. Everything in those few verses that define it are completely against human nature. Unselfish, patient, completely kind, is not provoked, does not envy, suffers long, is not conceited. I can think of countless times when I have done each one of those. It's harder to think of times when I have really loved-- when I haven't been in it for myself, when I haven't shown impatience, or when I have been able to suffer long. Something from the film that really got to my heart was when they interviewed a man who worked with AIDS victims in Africa. Speaking about loving, he compared a story that he experiences all the time... when you reach out to a single mom who is infected with HIV and has 4 kids, and she breaks the rules, lets you down, what do you do? You keep loving. You keep helping. You suffer long with her. That's love. It never fails.
Mother Teresa also said, "Following Jesus is simple, but not easy. Love until it hurts, and then love more." Eventually, you know what will happen...? Love will override any hurt. Or as the Bible says, Love covers a multitude of sins. Wow, what great love has been shown to us. Such great, extravagant love.
I'm going to throw this in here: if you haven't read The Irresistible Revolution, get it now. But not unless you want your comfortable life completely ruined and gone forever. If you want to stay ignorant to the innocent dying, starving, and hopeless, then stay in your world. You will be fine. And you know what? You will most likely still make it to heaven. But man, will you miss out. There is much benefit in choosing to participate in the sufferings of Christ. For me, as an American, I will not be stoned to death if I wanted to preach on the streets. But that's not the only way to suffer. For me, a much greater suffering is that of the heart. What you will see... what you will have to turn your face away from... when you choose to go wherever He goes; it's unexplainable what some people live through. And when you put yourself in their place... that will change you forever. To think that so easily you could have been born in their skin. You can be an orphan in Africa because your mother was raped and died from AIDS. Or you could be the child of a prostitute in India. We have no control. But what we do control is our will and our choice. Now that you have the life that you have, what will you do with it? "The best thing to do with the best things in life is to give them away." Have you ever felt that? The extreme joy that comes when you give someone a gift that will be with them forever? I so desire that. I would literally give away everything I have if that was love. But sometimes that isn't. Sometimes the best love is just a smile. Or a hug. Or maybe it's $3,000. Or a conversation. Or a blanket. Or to offer your shower and a warm meal to someone with no home. Whatever it is, it can all be done with the motive to give that which always believes, always hopes, always trusts, and always endures... Love.
"Poverty was not created by God, but by you and me, because we have not learned to love our neighbors as ourselves."
Do you feel the truth and conviction in that statement? I was thinking last night about all the things I do without purpose. Like spending $8.50 on a movie that will simply entertain me and not benefit me at all. Or checking out in front of the tv instead of seeking God's face and praying for someone who is lost and hurting. Does that sound extreme? I agree with Francis Chan when he says that the church is in the position that it's in, bad reputation and all, because it has thought some things to be "too extreme." Look at Jesus!! Just look at his life. Don't be offended, just take it to Him. What does He say? To me He says to freely give because it has been freely given to me. To me He says give Me time, worship Me, seek Me, I am the life that you long for. To me He asks, "To be handsome, rich, and wise, is that really what you want?" No... I want Him. Whatever that looks like. Whether it be blaring Kim Walker in a convertible BMW or singing my lungs out on a bike in the villages of Rwanda. Honestly, I prefer Rwanda.
Another great book, Searching for God Knows What, proclaims that there is no formula, no 5-step equation that will bring everyone's life into peace, prosperity, and purpose. It's different. Find YOUR rhythm, YOUR steps, and then dance so passionately and sing your life-song so loudly that it draws others to the brokenness and surrender of choosing to let the Creator create whatever He will from their pieces, too.
So what now? There are many different things God might move you to do. Repent. Get rid of some stuff. Set aside an hour just for Him. Fast from food or shopping. Build a relationship with that person at work. What is it? ASK. Ask and it will be given to you, according to His will. God, I want more of You. I want more opportunities to love. I want to be able to be a blessing to others. Can I have those things, Lord? Will you change me so I can change my world?
I think I know what the answer is.
Upendo ni jibu.
Liebe ist die Antwort.
รักคือคำตอบ.
L'amour est la réponse.
愛の答えです.
Love is the answer.
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