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Show Notes
Last time, I mentioned that the increase in my ability to love the unlovable is a proof that God is real. Who are the first people that come to your mind when you hear the phrase, “the unlovable?” Is it the homeless person who has not bathed in a month? The one who is cruel to animals? A member of the opposing political party? Or perhaps a Christian brother or sister who does not think exactly as we do? This is what we are going to explore here in episode 5.
My name is Charles, and this is the Simple Not Shallow Podcast. A podcast for those who want a deeper faith, not a confusing one. That is what our name is about, keeping faith in Christ simple enough for a child like me to understand it and yet, not so shallow that when the storms of life hit, our faith runs aground.
So, who are the unlovable? While only you can answer that for yourself, allow me to focus on some that might not have immediately come to mind. What about that church member who shoots down every idea you have, simply because it is not theirs; or worse, simply because it is yours? How about that Christian brother who always wants to argue because he always has to be right? Or How about that sister in Christ, the one who thinks she has the inside track into true Christianity and so knows the best way, the only way, to worship and love God. The one who is never content until she has had her 2 cents put in. Oh, let us not forget to mention the Christian who has a slightly different take on our favorite Bible passage or favorite Christian idea, you know, the one whom we are tempted to quickly deem a heretic.
Did a particular name come to mind? It would not be surprising if one or two did. Not surprising and yet also very sad. And what is even sadder is that Jesus knew we would consider our family so unlovely.
Indeed, he knew this so well that he was compelled to issue a command to love one another. Loving should be second nature to those who claim to love Jesus. Yet too often, this family has been torn apart through loveless-ness. Often from a very self-centered idea that we know better about… most everything related to God. Should we be sprinkled or dunked, use ‘contemporary’ or ‘traditional’ worship services, baptize infants or not, or even, what is sinful and what is not? And the list goes on and on and on and on and on. It is not hard to hear the charge of heresy being made, even over the smallest of disagreements.
What happens when we are not loving? I have seen people wield ball bats (figuratively speaking) while claiming, as they do so, that they are only “speaking the truth in love.” If that was the way the love, I really never want to see them say anything in an unloving manner…. I can honestly say that I have never seen such a ball bat used lovingly. Though, I have seen people love their use of one; simply because wielding it makes them feel righteously good. After all, at least they are doing something to correct a wrong… And Jesus knew we would do this. That we would treat our siblings with both disrespect and ill will.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another” (Jn 13:34).
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another” (Jn 13:35).
Not if you have the “right” style of worship. Not if you have a “holy” looking building. Not if you always say and do “godly” things. Not even how “right” you are in your beliefs or how quick you are to correct the errant knave who is getting it wrong. No. It is how you show love to the unlovely, your fellow Christians, that will draw others to Christ. That is the proof that those not a part of God’s family need to see, in order to know Christ is real and in order to know that we are indeed his followers.
Please do not mistake what is being said. There are wrong ideas and there are heretical beliefs and these do need to be addressed and corrected. Yet, if we are truly following the command of Christ to love, we may find that we begin to speak softly while not carrying that big stick. Big sticks have their place; they are good when walking in a dark alley, on a wilderness trail, or even while playing in a baseball game. But not so much when dealing with broken humanity that is in desperate need of love.
I know it is more difficult to love than to judgmentally correct, no doubt about it. And I also know that when things are impossible for us to do, they are not impossible for God to bring about (Mt 19:26). This is very simple, yet it requires you to not be shallow. Are you up for it?
Will you venture into these depths? I hope so, for your sake. For in the raging storm, it is never safe to be in the shallows.
Well, what do you think? I’d love to hear from you, so please, go to simplenotshallow.com, and under the Simple Not Shallow Podcast section, find this episode, #5, and leave a comment for me there. Also, in the show notes, I’ll list all the verses I referenced, in the order and at the location in the transcript at which I referenced them. That way you can check me out to make sure I’m not totally in left field. Also, please take a second to rate this episode and subscribe to this podcast through iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify… or whichever service you use. And feel free to roam around the website, simplenotshallow.com. There is a blog, some videos (I’m not the most dashing looking individual, but I promise, I’ll not break your screen either.), and new things to be added all the time. And please let me know what you think, and if you have some suggestions for topics or questions you’d like addressed, let me know what they are as well. Thank you. I’ll catch you next time.
