They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love

John 13:34-35

The violent events of the past couple of weeks have sent a shock wave across our nation.  A young Ukrainian immigrant attempting to escape her war-torn country was randomly and senselessly stabbed to death while riding on a light rail train in Charlotte, NC.  Last Wednesday the nation was shaken by the assassination of a prominent architect of a conservative resurgence in younger Americans, a champion of biblical truth, and a bold proclaimer of the Gospel.  A minute after the shooting of Charlie Kirk, a 911 call was received in Colorado seeking assistance for a high school shooting.  Perhaps the most disturbing aspects of the news was the reports of people celebrating the murder of a Christian husband, and father of two small children.  Evil and hatred were on full display

So how do we as Christians respond?  We love!  It is easy to love when the world is going well.  It is more difficult when the enemy seems to be having a heyday.  But it is loving in the midst of great darkness that separates followers of Christ from the rest of the world.  It is then when we, and more importantly, Christ, gets to shine in the midst of darkness.  But what does loving look like?

Before we can answer that question, we should look at what it means to love someone.  Agape love is not a feeling . . . it is action.  It is something that is supernatural – it comes from our relationship with Jesus.  My definition of agape love is seeking to do what is in the best interest of another person, even when it may cost you.  It is an action word.  When I say “I love you” I am saying that I am committed to doing what is best for you.  I am always dumbfounded when I hear a client couple engaged in an affair tell me that they began the affair because they “loved” each other, as though enticing someone into an affair could ever be in the other person’s best interest. Agape love looks very different for my wife than it does my grandchildren.  It looks different than how I show love to my brothers and sisters at church.  Though it looks different, it is, in essence, the same thing.

So what does it look like?  Scripture tells us that “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13, ESV).  Most of us will never be asked to literally lay down our lives for someone.  But we are still commanded to love.  So, what does it look like?

Several years ago, God and I had a conversation about love in my life.  I was concerned about whether or not my love was what He wanted it to be.  I felt Him tell my heart that He had created me with a great capacity to love, and to love with abandon.  I came to understand that loving another person was a matter of the lens I used in relationships.  In my job as a professor, it meant adopting the perspective that students always come first.  That meant teaching overloads when it made their lives easier, even though I didn’t really have the space to add it to my schedule.  It meant long conversations in the evening to hear their worldview and to share mine with a spirit of respect and care. None of this was all that difficult, but my students knew they were loved.

I recently returned from a mission trip to Maui, HI.  I tried to pay attention to times when little acts of love were present.  I watched team members use their technical skills to try to fix cars that were out of service.  I watched team members painting buildings, building new ones, and supporting each other throughout each day.  I watched people prepare meals for team members.  I watched district pastors with very different views on current issues disagree with love and respect.  I watched team members treat each other as true family members, having built relationships through conversation.  I watched team members clean a trailer that provided the opportunity for homeless individuals to take a shower and wash their clothes.  I saw those same team members wash the clothes of the homeless and help facilitate showers.  I saw little acts of service that demonstrated how we become the hands and feet of Christ.  The good news is that we don’t have to travel to another state or country to love – we can love in our relationships and in the daily opportunities God provides for each of us if we are looking through the lens of agape love.

I’d like to share one last example that I got to experience in Maui.  Towards the end of our time in Maui, we stopped for lunch at a group of food trucks.  As we were getting back into the van, an older woman in the car parked next to ours rolled down her window to thank us for the work we were doing.  I was puzzled as I couldn’t figure out how she knew what we were doing.  It took me a moment to remember that the name of the church was on our van.  She had noticed the work that Pukalani Community Nazarene Church was doing in the community.  She saw how that church loved with abandon.  I talked with her for a few minutes as she shared how she had gone to church as a child.  Three of her brothers were Catholic priests and her sister was a nun.  Somewhere along the way she wandered away from that path Christ wanted for her.  She then asked me if we could pray.  I placed one of my hands on her head as I prayed.  She grasped my other hand in her two hands and held them to her cheek as I prayed.  I prayed that she would find her way back to God, and recommended Puka Naz to her, as I knew they would take care of her.  It only took a few minutes, but it was a divine appointment that I will not soon forget.  I suspect that she will hold onto it as well.

So, what do we do in the midst of evil, hatred, and darkness?  We remember to be light and salt in a fallen world.  We bring hope when it feels hopeless.  We love with abandon!

Blessings, peace and love,

Pastor Doug