With love

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 2 Peter 1:5-7, ESV  

Are we treating one another in love or in hate? That may seem harsh, even overdramatic, but really think about it. If we are not treating someone with love, what are w etreating them with? Big words in our society nowadays are “cancel culture” and “hate crimes”. Are we as Christians guilty of the same? I’ve heard many say “don’t hate the sinner, hate the sin” but do we truly only hate the sin? And do we hate our own sin and the sin of our loved ones as much as we do the sin of strangers or people we don’t have relationships with? Are we showing genuine love?

“If we are not cultivating strong, loving relationships with other believers, if we are not exhibiting genuine love for those outside the faith, then we are spiritually deficient, no matter how diligently we are trying to live for God. Growing in Christ means growing closer and deeper with His people. Growing in Christ means growing more loving.”

Nancy Leigh DeMoss, The Quiet Place

According to the quote above, if we don’t have loving relationships and show genuine love, we are spiritually deficient. Ouch! It does not matter how much we go to church, read our Bibles, say the right thing, wear the right clothes, do what we think is best, etc if we are not showing love.

Let’s stop making Christianity an exclusive club. Let’s stop gatekeeping. (Yeah, there is a popular word right now, too…it literally means controlling or limiting access.) Are we sharing our faith? And if we are, are we doing it with love or hateful judgment? Are we loving on people regardless of what they say, wear, or do? Regardless of how many tattoos or piercings they have? Regardless of their political affiliation? Regardless of their sins that happen to be different (or the same) as ours? Are we considering the fact that we are filthy, dirty sinners too? Are we remembering that God didn’t keep His love from us because of who we are? Are we considering that we can (and must) still choose to love someone even if they do not choose to put their faith in Christ? How can we choose to love God’s creation even if they do not choose to love Him? I don’t know all of the answers…but I know that we are called to love and love all.

Are we sharing our faith with other believers? Sure, it is easy to share and show love to those we are close with. Do we show love to Christians we have issues with? Did you know you can have issues with other Christians? Shocking, I know, that sinners would have issues with sinners. In case you were confused, yes, even Christians are still sinners. We should strive to be Christlike and not sin but we still do it. So, do we show love to those who we don’t agree with on the things that are not necessarily important? Do we show love to new believers by sharing with them? How many new believers have questions and how many of us answer them openly and honestly? Do we show love and build relationships with trust?

Maybe I have too many questions. That is probably true. While I don’t know all of the answers, I know the One who does. I am thankful that the Word is alive and can continue to touch us and cause us to grow and question the way that we do things. I am thankful that God gifts people like Nancy Leigh DeMoss who wrote the devotional that got me thinking about the way that I do things.

Are you living with love?