The thought of how to love someone else never really occurred to me until I would say this week. It is unbelievable that Jesus loved everyone; it's just amazing that he had a genuine love and concern for every single person on this earth. What really provoked this thought was I was like WOW, I barely like half the people I talk with in a given day, let alone LOVE them. Why is it that Jesus could do that, and yet we can not? We get annoyed at a way a person drives, eats, talks, or even looks. Why is it that Jesus did not care and just gave of himself? I really pondered this week as I was talking with people and just seeing how I was not showing God's love at all. In fact, I was judging people and specifically trying to point out their flaws. God is love and if we speak his name we need to be speaking in love. I really turned a 180 this week about half way through and just said, let me have grace and for me to see people through Jesus' eyes. The two things that rang through my head are the two greatest things that Jesus said, and as a person once called it, GC squared - which is the Great Commandment and The Great Commission.
Matthew 22:37-40 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and soul, and mind. This is the First and gret commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hand all the law and the prophets."
Mathew 28: 19-20 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you."
These passages speak volumes to me and they do so because if we do the first part, the second part will follow. If Jesus wanted us to love him and to love others, wouldn't it make sense that we would want other people to do the same? The saying "kill them with a smile" - it's wrong. I would rather say, "Save them with a smile." A smile can already show a person you care about them. Try to smile at a person and have them not smile back; it's pretty hard not to have them do that. God is about love and if we love one another unconditionally, whether that person is saved or a satanist, we are following what our Lord wants. Chasing Jesus isn't always the easy task but I know there are people in my life that if I loved them and truly loved them, that I could be such a better witness. We fall into that society in which we always have to be better and are always looking out for ourselves. Again, what does that get us except on our knees asking forgiveness, and going back to the same routine? We need to break out of the mold and become the witnesses God has called us to be. To be a witness is to be that light that shines and shows love. I have truly found the way to love another person. GRACE!! That's all you need, baby. God made that person to be who they are; by hating them, you are just smacking God in his face. If we are going to save this world one person at a time, it is through mad love. If that is the greatest commandment, I think that would be something pretty important. Now showing love can be done in many ways, saying you are cool, talking to a person and actually letting them talk and you listen, hanging out with them, making a sacrifice to spend time with them, and my favorite is just telling them that you love them.
My mom was shocked the other day when I did two things that I haven't done in over 3 months. I went to Chicago and just talked with her for the day and told her I loved her. I had no clue it had been that long since i did either one of those. It really put things in perspective for me. If I'm not showing my mom love, who else am I not showing love to? My life can get rather busy sometimes; however, my life is for Jesus and that means this worldly stuff needs to go away and I need to keep my focus and loving people mad style. My job is important, but how much more of a witness could I be if I was showing Love to every person that walked through my doors. It was amazing to see how by the end of this week how people at work could see a difference in how I handled people and it was cool that I was back to my roots of mad dog loving people. Remember what we are called to do. This is not a sprint; it is a marathon, and we need to be well trained and do this slowly. So why don't you go out today and "save someone with a smile"? You just might be able to see them smile back at you in heaven. The fields are plentiful but the workers are few. Go harvest your field today and run the course God has laid out for you.
Benjamin C Volling
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