Oh here we go again…..another February with the worse holiday of the year in it. I REALLY don’t like Valentines Day. As a matter of fact, I don’t even think it deserves a capital letter. “valentines day” there….I feel better!!!! Hahaha!!
It is a horrible holiday because it makes people act for one day, the way they should ALL the time. I have some guy friends that tell me they “spent more time with their wife”, or “ I took her out”, or “ we just sat and talked”. What is bad about V-day and why I dislike it so much, is because those things that my guy friends are so proud of themselves for, are things they should be doing all the time and not just on V-day because it’s the “thing to do” on the “love” day of the year.
But today, I want to talk about love, but a different kind of love that is way harder to have and give. It’s not the romantic, physical kind of love; that kind of love is pretty easy, but this love I want to talk about today is way harder. My column today is written specifically to Christians and Believers in Christ.
The love I want to talk about today is the love that we as a body of Christ should give but often don’t. It’s the love we should give to a brother or sister in Christ when they fail or fall.
Why is it that when someone we know; maybe it’s someone that goes to your church, bible study or just another Believer in your life; why do we throw those people out and distance ourselves from them when they screw up in life. Why? ……Seriously…..Why?
It seems to me that when someone messes up and makes a wrong choice, no matter what it is, we should surround that person, protect that person from more attacks from Satan and help restore that person. But instead, we just often walk away. I have seen it hundreds of times and have even seen it with close friends.
Now some of you are thinking about church discipline right now and I’m not arguing that that has to happen in some cases, but no matter what has made that person fall, we need to LOVE and help that person be restored.
I have done a ton of prison ministry and have been blessed; yes, I say blessed; to have had the opportunity to talk to murderers, thieves, rapists, drug dealers and many more types of people. I have been blessed because these people fell and failed at some point of their lives but were loved and restored and the awesome Love and Glory of God just shines through them like crazy. That is so cool to see.
Most of those prisoners I talk to were restored or excepted Christ because someone reached out to them to love them and share Christ with them.
So, if we are supposed to be a “body of Christ” a “family of God” why do we as a body often trample and bury our wounded.
My challenge to all who are reading this is to use this month; the “love” month, to truly reach out to someone that REALLY needs some love, some truth, some guidance and someone that just needs a brother or sister in Christ to be there for them.
If you disagree with what I’ve said so far and think “that person deserves what they’re getting”. If you are fine casting that stone, go ahead. I personally can’t cast a stone or even a pebble.
Loving someone that has fallen, failed or someone that has hurt you or people around you is a very hard thing to do, but reverse the rolls and imagine who you would want knocking on your door when you have fallen or failed. Many of these people are warriors that have made a mistake, a bad decision and have done a wrong thing, but you know what? God still loves them. God loves them so much that He sent His Son to save them from their wrong paths and choices. So……if God still loves them, shouldn’t we?
Some love in life is easy, but a lot of love in life is hard. Be strong, love hard and love all. It’s the greatest commandment that Christ told us to live. Matthew 22, 37-40.
Thanks for your time and for checking in,
Chiz