Is Christianity about Love?
A devotional by Jessica Brodie
“The worst thing about Christianity is the other Christians. They’re just so judgmental.”
Blatant criticism of my faith, like the sentence above, is something I see all the time on social media, and it’s getting worse. I’m quickly discovering how unpopular it is to be Christian. Many people assume Christians are “intolerant” and that we’re part of some cult with a distant or arrogant God who “lets bad things happen.” All of this is false, and it would be laughable if it weren’t so terrible.
Not that Christianity has ever been super popular. We were called uncool goody-goodies when I was a teen. But today, it’s different. It’s like the criticism has ramped up in new, wildly inaccurate ways. For some, our faith is synonymous with hate, which is the exact opposite of the truth.
The truth is that Christianity is rooted in love. Love is the very essence of God. But the world doesn’t seem to understand this right now. We need to change that. Love has God at its core. As scripture tells us, God “is love” (1 John 4:8 ESV). Love isn’t just being nice to other people. It’s also caring for them and showing mercy, listening and walking alongside another person so they do not feel alone.
But what do you do when the very notion of Christianity triggers a knee-jerk negative reaction in someone else? How can we counter the false messaging?
I think the best thing we can do is simply model the love of Jesus Christ. Jesus said people will know we his disciples if we have love for one another (John 13:35).
You can interpret that in a few ways. On one hand, maybe it means how we treat everyone, period. On the other, maybe it means by how we treat other Christians. I am not certain. But Jesus also said the most important commandment is to love God with all our heart and mind and soul, and second is to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40). He emphasized love so much throughout his ministry that I interpret “others” as expansively as possible. I’d rather err on the side of love than exclusion.
Christian love is something the world really needs to see in obvious, extraordinary ways right now. We should never change our faith to please the world or cave to culture. But we need to remember the world is filled with a lot of lost people who need to know Jesus, even people who think they don’t want anything to do with Christianity. And Jesus said we are to go and make disciples of all nations, spreading the Gospel everywhere (Matthew 28:19-20).
Love is the best way we can do this. There are so many ways to love other people, and love doesn’t necessarily mean being nice and accepting. In explaining how to show our love for him, Jesus taught Peter that we are to feed his lambs and tend his sheep (John 21:15-19).
Here are a few ways that we can love others:
1. We can care for their basic needs—food, water, shelter, healthcare, whether that is donating money to an organization that does these things or volunteering ourselves to actively feed, build or repair houses, or provide medical care.
2. We can make sure other people know that the table is open to them. God’s church is a welcome space for seekers and believers alike. Let people know your church is a safe place. They can come to Jesus better when they know they are wanted. Sometimes it might take a while for them to decide, but as the old-fashioned saying goes, “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” Kindness and love are far more attractive to people seeking and unsure. It doesn’t mean you need to water down the truth, but let God’s Word speak for itself. Do what Jesus did and point toward the Father and encourage people to draw closer to him. They will figure out on their own what that means.
3. We can listen to people. Spend time with them even if their views are completely different or seem wrong or even evil. Hear what they have to say. You don’t need to offer your opinion or advice unless it is requested. If someone can trust you enough to talk with you and share things with you, that is often a steppingstone for questions and, ultimately, changes of heart.
4. We can guard our words. Be kind when you speak about other people. To use another old saying, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Don’t gossip or spread stories or even talk too much about sin (that is, obey Jesus and don’t point fingers per Matthew 7:3-5). We all know sin is wrong. But when we talk too much about sin, it makes sin the focus when we all know God is most important. Jesus Christ is the only solution to sin. He’s the only one who can change someone’s heart. We are all lost without him.
These are just a few thoughts. Do you have others?
Together we can counter evil by spreading the message of love—the love that is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior—far and wide.
Let’s Pray: Lord, help me reflect your love in the world in my thoughts, actions, and words. Help me draw others to your saving grace by modeling your love so all can see. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.
Song of Reflection #1: “Love One Another” by Steve Green. Listen to it here.
Song of Reflection #2: “Each One Reach One” by Babbie Mason. Listen to it here.
Blatant criticism of my faith, like the sentence above, is something I see all the time on social media, and it’s getting worse. I’m quickly discovering how unpopular it is to be Christian. Many people assume Christians are “intolerant” and that we’re part of some cult with a distant or arrogant God who “lets bad things happen.” All of this is false, and it would be laughable if it weren’t so terrible.
Not that Christianity has ever been super popular. We were called uncool goody-goodies when I was a teen. But today, it’s different. It’s like the criticism has ramped up in new, wildly inaccurate ways. For some, our faith is synonymous with hate, which is the exact opposite of the truth.
The truth is that Christianity is rooted in love. Love is the very essence of God. But the world doesn’t seem to understand this right now. We need to change that. Love has God at its core. As scripture tells us, God “is love” (1 John 4:8 ESV). Love isn’t just being nice to other people. It’s also caring for them and showing mercy, listening and walking alongside another person so they do not feel alone.
But what do you do when the very notion of Christianity triggers a knee-jerk negative reaction in someone else? How can we counter the false messaging?
I think the best thing we can do is simply model the love of Jesus Christ. Jesus said people will know we his disciples if we have love for one another (John 13:35).
You can interpret that in a few ways. On one hand, maybe it means how we treat everyone, period. On the other, maybe it means by how we treat other Christians. I am not certain. But Jesus also said the most important commandment is to love God with all our heart and mind and soul, and second is to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40). He emphasized love so much throughout his ministry that I interpret “others” as expansively as possible. I’d rather err on the side of love than exclusion.
Christian love is something the world really needs to see in obvious, extraordinary ways right now. We should never change our faith to please the world or cave to culture. But we need to remember the world is filled with a lot of lost people who need to know Jesus, even people who think they don’t want anything to do with Christianity. And Jesus said we are to go and make disciples of all nations, spreading the Gospel everywhere (Matthew 28:19-20).
Love is the best way we can do this. There are so many ways to love other people, and love doesn’t necessarily mean being nice and accepting. In explaining how to show our love for him, Jesus taught Peter that we are to feed his lambs and tend his sheep (John 21:15-19).
Here are a few ways that we can love others:
1. We can care for their basic needs—food, water, shelter, healthcare, whether that is donating money to an organization that does these things or volunteering ourselves to actively feed, build or repair houses, or provide medical care.
2. We can make sure other people know that the table is open to them. God’s church is a welcome space for seekers and believers alike. Let people know your church is a safe place. They can come to Jesus better when they know they are wanted. Sometimes it might take a while for them to decide, but as the old-fashioned saying goes, “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” Kindness and love are far more attractive to people seeking and unsure. It doesn’t mean you need to water down the truth, but let God’s Word speak for itself. Do what Jesus did and point toward the Father and encourage people to draw closer to him. They will figure out on their own what that means.
3. We can listen to people. Spend time with them even if their views are completely different or seem wrong or even evil. Hear what they have to say. You don’t need to offer your opinion or advice unless it is requested. If someone can trust you enough to talk with you and share things with you, that is often a steppingstone for questions and, ultimately, changes of heart.
4. We can guard our words. Be kind when you speak about other people. To use another old saying, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Don’t gossip or spread stories or even talk too much about sin (that is, obey Jesus and don’t point fingers per Matthew 7:3-5). We all know sin is wrong. But when we talk too much about sin, it makes sin the focus when we all know God is most important. Jesus Christ is the only solution to sin. He’s the only one who can change someone’s heart. We are all lost without him.
These are just a few thoughts. Do you have others?
Together we can counter evil by spreading the message of love—the love that is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior—far and wide.
Let’s Pray: Lord, help me reflect your love in the world in my thoughts, actions, and words. Help me draw others to your saving grace by modeling your love so all can see. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.
Song of Reflection #1: “Love One Another” by Steve Green. Listen to it here.
Song of Reflection #2: “Each One Reach One” by Babbie Mason. Listen to it here.
~*~
Author Bio:
Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach and the recipient of the 2018 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for her novel, The Memory Garden. She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism.
Last year, she released an Advent devotional for those seeking true closeness with God, which you can find at https://www.jessicabrodie.com/advent. Learn more about Jessica’s fiction and read her faith blog at http://jessicabrodie.com. She has a weekly YouTube devotional and podcast. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and more. She’s also produced a free eBook, A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When You’re Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.