Serve One Another in Love no. 18

“For, brothers, you were called to be free. Only do not let that freedom become an excuse for allowing your old nature to have its way. Instead, serve one another in love. For the whole of the Torah is summed up in this one sentence: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’; but if you go on snapping at each other and tearing each other to pieces, watch out, or you will be destroyed by each other! What I am saying is this: run your lives by the Spirit. Then you will not do what your old nature wants. For the old nature wants what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is contrary to the old nature. These oppose each other, so that you find yourselves unable to carry out your good intentions. But if you are led by the Spirit, then you are not in subjection to the system that results from perverting the Torah into legalism” (Galatians (Gal) 5:13-18). Back before I was free, I thought I was free. The one thing I was not free from was being selfish. And that sin of selfishness is one I confront daily in myself, in my brothers and sisters, and in the world. Too often I put my needs above the needs of others. Too often I put my rights and my person above loving another. One of the most pervasive sins of our modern society is the sin of selfishness because selfishness is twisted into something virtuous in America. 

This weekend was a blur of activity. Within that blur, I saw the heart of servants and the heart of this world. People should help one another, and Christians are called to service, BUT too often we serve only ourselves. I witnessed some folks that proudly parade their Christianity cause strife and ignore the work at hand this weekend. I also witnessed folks that are not outwardly professing Christianity take upon the mantle of service and bring peace. So, I don’t want folks to get their faith twisted into something that is already a final transaction. Jesus even tells us how folks will know we follow Him, “I am giving you a new command: that you keep on loving each other. In the same way that I have loved you, you are also to keep on loving each other. Everyone will know that you are my talmidim by the fact that you have love for each other” (Yochanan (Jhn) 13:34-35). And how often do we fail at that commandment.

We fail because we don’t feel like doing what He says. It is too easy to be selfish and look out for ourselves. It is too easy to see a problem and walk away. It is too easy to see the work that needs be done and leave it for others. It is too easy to let someone else do it. And we do that all the time and still walk around like we are somehow better than other folks. We act like our Christianity is something that makes us superior. Our belief in Jesus is not an excuse to not do the work, to not be a servant, and not to love. BUT too often we make it our excuse.

I learned a long time ago to never put my faith in people. We all fall short in living up to His example. BUT we have to try. Even if we fail in trying, at least we are moving toward being more like Him. BUT too often folks are insecure and need affirmation that they are better. I was not called to be above other folks, I was called to be right there alongside them. I was called to be in the filth and the work and the struggle and the concerns and the problems and all the nastiness of life with everyone else. BUT while I live in that world, I am not part of the way the world does things. So often our actions put us to shame. So often folks that are not professing Christians make us look bad by their humility and service. Too often we are too busy being concerned with titles rather than being servants. And that happens all over churches today. Folks are still busy being seen on Sundays in positions rather than struggling with folks who really need our help. And that problem isn’t going to change any time soon unless we allow God to change it by changing ourselves. 

So, let’s serve. Let’s stop wasting our time being right and being important and being seen and being perfect and being everything else that isn’t showing His love. Let’s get in the mud of life and stay clean. Let’s get involved with others and help them with their struggles as Jesus did. And let us stop being Pharisees. Too often we use that word for each other and need to start applying it to our own lives in what hypocrisy lies within us.  

Serve His Kingdom by serving one another in love.

Grace and Shalom to your home. The Kingdom of God is now!

I love you. I forgive you. Have a blessed and abundant day!

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #SeekFirstTheKingdom #ServeOneAnotherIn Love #NotMyWayYHWH