Conflicted, but cleansed

Think about what we have in Christ: the encouragement he has brought us, the comfort of his love, our sharing in his Spirit, and the mercy and kindness he has shown us. If you enjoy these blessings, then do what will make my joy complete: Agree with each other and show your love for each other. Be united in your goals and in the way you think. In whatever you do, don’t let selfishness or pride be your guide. Be humble, and honor others more than yourselves. Don’t be interested only in your own life, but care about the lives of others too. (Philippians 2:1-4)

What exactly do we have in Christ? If we stop for even a short period of time and consider this question, we will likely begin to list a few things that immediately come to mind. Consider it a bit longer and we will find there are things we didn't even realize we 'have' at our access because we have never tapped into them. Even though the blessings of God are upon our lives, we find there will be times when we are called upon to do things that may be a bit 'out of our comfort zone'. He asks us to embrace someone who has offended us, take up a battle in prayer for someone who is just plain worn out from the battle, or give unselfishly of what we possess to allow it to become a blessing in another's. The 'things' God asks aren't going to rock our world monumentally, but they likely will incrementally!

Unity of spirit isn't going to 'just happen' in our world today, but whenever we come into the fellowship of other believers, we should rejoice. Why? They are there to help us grow, challenging us to lay down our selfishness and pride just a bit more, while embracing whatever it is that God has prepared for us to do today. It is a dangerous thing to be guided by our pride, isn't it? Pride gets us into so many 'pickles' in life. We find ourselves dreading the outcome, all because our pride got us into something we weren't supposed to be involved in at all. Whenever this happens, it is best to admit it, confession being the first step toward repentance. Pride always goes before bad choices - the outcome of the choices being referred to as a 'fall'. Pride goeth before a fall - your fall might be the challenge today, mine tomorrow - so we need each other!

When we take an interest in the lives of those God has placed in our life, we are going to find there are times when the atmosphere is charged with conflict, but not all conflict is bad. In fact, some conflict actually produces positive outcomes. For example, when I didn't want to wash up as a kid, mom would not allow that dilly-dallying to continue, knowing my 'unwashed' condition was not healthy, nor very pleasing in appearance or odor! So, she'd shoo me into the tub in spite of my resistance. What was produced by the conflict between what I wanted and what I needed? Cleanliness! Sometimes conflict leads to a cleansing process - we find our true 'need' being highlighted and the means to have that need met provided. Living in community with each other might just produce the necessary 'conflict' that brings about the deepest 'cleansing' of our lives. Just sayin!

It is a parallel thing

I have a serious concern to bring up with you, my friends, using the authority of Jesus, our Master. I'll put it as urgently as I can: You must get along with each other. You must learn to be considerate of one another, cultivating a life in common. {I Corinthians 1:10}

We are all living life in parallel to each other. It can get a little messy to live life in parallel to anyone else, but it is not exactly easy to live life running in opposite directions of each other! When we seek to live life in parallel, we are commanded to do a couple of things - be considerate of one another and cultivate the "parallel life" as deeply as possible. We have to become familiar with the life circumstances the other person is presently experiencing, as well as those which have already shaped their lives. I have not experienced the hatred and contempt for one's race, color, or creed as others may have experienced firsthand. Does this mean I cannot walk in parallel with those who are different from me? Absolutely not! What it does mean is that I may have to "cultivate" that walk a bit.

To "get along" we must do more than just tolerate another's way of life or unique character qualities. It also means more than respecting them. It involves each of us remembering we are not different from each other in one important thing - we were all born sinners, in need of a Savior, and no man, woman, or child is without sin in their lives. Start there and we will find a good place to begin to cultivate our relationship with each other. There is no better place to begin to experience community than on "common ground". When we set out to cultivate soil, it is with the purpose of planting, which in turn is done to produce growth, resulting in something which can not only sustain us, but pass life onto others. To cultivate a life in parallel with each other, we find it takes more than a little work - it requires repeated passage over rough areas with such frequency that we eventually see the things which stand as barriers to growth. Soon we see they begin to break down into smaller and smaller pieces until one day the relationship is able to accept the seed, allowing rich and vibrant growth to come forth.

In a time when differences seem to be at the forefront of our news stories, media posts, and daily conversations, it is important to remember what we are to be cultivating. We are designees of God's grace and as such, we walk in parallel with others who may or may not have experienced that grace in all of its fullness yet. We cultivate growth within those areas of differences through the extension of grace. We may not see eye-to-eye or feel impassioned about every topic we will discuss, but we stand a better chance of getting to appreciate the perspective of the one who has walked that path if we are willing to extend a little grace into the relationship. Just sayin!

Finding Communion

When others are happy, you should be happy with them. And when others are sad, you should be sad too. Live together in peace with each other. Don’t be proud, but be willing to be friends with people who are not important to others. Don’t think of yourself as smarter than everyone else. (Romans 12:15-16)

Live together in peace. Good idea, but tough to actually execute. We might set out to live at peace with others, finding our attempts at 'peaceful living' are met with resistance from all sides. Try as we might, living 'at peace' with each other is just not possible unless Christ is brought into the center of the 'living'. When Christ is central in the relationship, there will still be difficulties, but there is a power beyond our human reasoning or fickle emotions that helps us to bring resolution to the issues. We need to be willing to listen to one another, but dare I say we also need to be able to hear one another. This is where Christ does his work - he helps us to look beyond the surface (what one displays on the outside) and hear beyond the words (the emotion behind what is said).

As Christ left this earth, he commissioned his disciples to continue his work of reconciling the world to him. In so doing, the disciples encouraged the believers to put away differences, focusing on the unity of the faith. Unity is only possible where God's peace dwells. Plain and simple - we cannot 'create' peace in our own efforts. We will find ourselves always trying to please people if we do. God isn't after 'people-pleasers' - he is after peacemakers. That means we let him guide our thoughts, words, and actions so that we find ways of being a blessing in the lives of others, regardless of their ability or willingness to return the blessing. That might rub a few the wrong way because we have the idea that if we 'do unto others as we would have them do unto us' that they are kind of 'obligated' to return the blessing. Unfortunately, there is no 'obligation' for them to be kind or loving in return.

Pride gets in the way of being peacemakers, doesn't it? We might not realize how much we feel we deserve better than we are getting, but when that attitude begins to creep into our hearts and minds, we are going to lean toward the 'expectation' of kindness and love. Instead of it being a willing exchange between us, there comes this sense of 'obligation'. Obligation leads to unmet expectations, and the hard feelings that follow can soon lead to bitter feelings. This is why God reminds us to share in each other's sorrows and happy times. When we commit together to 'share all things in common', we are putting down our pride and allowing others to get to know us as we are. In so doing, we are developing genuine community. We may not put all our resources in common like they did in the early church, but when we begin to mesh our lives one with another, focusing on Christ first in all we do, we soon find the communion Christ intends for his followers. Just sayin!

I need my friends

As we come to Jesus, we might expect the immediate healing of all our anxieties, hang-ups, and long-held issues. We know there are things in our lives Jesus forgives but then he "deals" with them for a while until we realize they are finally gone. The sinful stuff in our lives that gets our focused attention through God's eyes will get dealt with in pretty short order compared to the stuff we just let 'hang on' even when he is telling us to let it go.

 
Jesus and his followers came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch the man. So Jesus held the blind man’s hand and led him out of the village. Then he spit on the man’s eyes. He laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see now?” The man looked up and said, “Yes, I see people. They look like trees walking around.” Again Jesus laid his hands on the man’s eyes, and the man opened them wide. His eyes were healed, and he was able to see everything clearly. (Mark 8:22-25)

We come to Jesus just as we are - complete with all our hang-ups and messiness - with no need to clean up before we say yes to him. We sometimes are with Jesus in our lives for a while with more than a few of these hang-ups and messy areas in our lives - not because he doesn't have the capability to immediately deal with them and remove them, but because there is something which happens in the continual washing over time. In those moments of seeking him time and again, we find there is a connection made much like the connection made when he led this blind man out of the village.

At first, we may not even realize how to get free from those things which have been "with us" for so long in our lives. This is where we need the faithfulness of friends who will walk with us to the place we come face-to-face with Jesus. This man might have known he was in the presence of Jesus, but he didn't yet see Jesus fully for who he was. The friends were the ones interceding for this man - it wasn't the man begging for his healing - it was the friends. We need each other - plain and simple. We may not recognize how much until we find our friends interceding for the mess our lives have become. Just sayin!

Do you have community?

Don’t interfere with good people’s lives; don’t try to get the best of them. No matter how many times you trip them up, God-loyal people don’t stay down long; soon they’re up on their feet, while the wicked end up flat on their faces. (Proverbs 24:15-16)

H.G. Wells tells us, "If you fell down yesterday, stand up today." There are times when we fall down more than we stand. We try something and fail. We try again and fail in a different way. Standing might just be harder than we thought! If you haven't figured it out yet, we don't always fall by our own doing. There are times when the external influences exert more pull than the internal. What is amazing though is that a child of God is seldom 'down' for long. There is something within them that calls them to 'rise again' and face whatever tripped them up with a fresh look and a new determination.

Satan my try to get the best of us, but he doesn't stand a chance against God's goodness and grace. He may present many tripping points meant to make us fall into temptation and give into sin, but even the most cleverly presented of these points is nothing compared to the resilience God gives his children in the face of attack. Resilience is that ability to return to form or position, even after being bent, pressed, or stretched beyond that form or position. That is what God's presence does within us - it gives us resilience to return to a place of grace and sinlessness even if we fall. 

If we fell down, would we get back up? Some falls are easy to recover from - we can almost 'bounce back' without much of an issue. Others might just require us to have a little help to 'right ourselves' again. This is why it is important to live life in community with other believers. We need help to 'right ourselves' from time to time, because we don't always realize what tripped us up, making us fall in the process. When we have community, we have resources that help us return to grace quickly. They don't allow us to stay down long - helping us to 'be up on our feet' even when we don't see a way to 'get back up'.

No matter how many times... It is likely we will fall more than once over the same tripping point, especially when we aren't paying attention. Community helps here, as well. There is wisdom in having those around that can see what we cannot! Just sayin!

A let down isn't always bad

When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2:1-5)

Stop for a moment to consider the faith of these friends. There is no indication the man had enough faith to do such a thing - although he certainly had the need. These words struck me this morning - "Seeing THEIR faith". It is important to know that THEIR faith got the man where he needed to be in order to receive his healing. Sometimes it isn't our faith that gets us to that place where our need is met - it is the community of friends that we have in Christ Jesus that get us there!

A surgeon doesn't operate alone. He is surrounded by others, all doing their particular tasks. The entire operation requires a team effort, expertly coordinated and perfectly orchestrated. The team makes the difference! We can 'get by' with a lousy team, but when the right team is in place, what a difference that makes. When the right team is in place in your life, the difference is palpable. The 'faith energy' produced when we are surrounded by those who are also close to Jesus energizes us when we are 'running low'.

They dug a hole through some poor guy's rooftop in order to get their friend before Jesus! I can only imagine the moxie that took to coordinate such a plan and actually 'create the opening' that would become the means by which the man received his healing. There are definitely times when we need others with a courageous spirit and determination that won't quit. When we are having doubts, we need their faith. When we are succumbing to the 'difficulties of the moment', we need their perseverance to continue on in spite of it all.

Sin might attempt to keep us flat on our mat, but the faith of good friends and their determination to see us made right again with God may be the thing that propels us forward into the presence of God again. We cannot ignore the need for community - they could provide the 'biggest let down' of our lives. Just sayin!

Are you a Lone Ranger?

Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. (Hebrews 12:14-15)

The process of 'working at living in peace' in the original Greek language indicates there is no point at which we 'arrive' at peace or a holy life - it is a continual process. We live each day with the attitude of finding peace with each other and encouraging each other to live holy lives. If you have ever been the instigator of trouble, you know how easily others will follow you, especially when the 'trouble' you are initiating is kind of 'fun'. You can get some out of their comfort zone, while others just seem to enjoy the folly right along with you. Wouldn't it be great if it was as easy for us to 'instigate' holiness and right choices, getting others to follow along in the joy of living upright lives?

We have a responsibility to make wise choices - to look after each other as we do. If you are a kind of independent sort, you might not see much benefit in others looking out for you - looking after you so that you don't fall into some temptation that might catch you unaware. You kind of want to 'Lone Ranger' it, believing you can live a holy life without the help of anyone else. How's that been working for you? Have you found yourself dealing with the same frustrating issues in your life time and time again? It is likely because you have been attempting to live 'independent' from others. You have no one 'watching out for you' as you 'live life'. The trouble with that level of 'independence' is that we are never meant to live out holiness alone - it is a 'group effort'.

We need to watch out for one another - like it or not. We need the 'friction' of some relationships to show us where we have rough edges that still need a bit of work. We require the 'intrusion' of other relationships to reveal where it is we still focus too much on ourselves. We can think of life together as a negative thing, or we can embrace it as God intended. We 'work' better in community - seeing what others cannot, finding ways to encourage when the going gets tough, and avoiding pitfalls that seem so obvious to us, but are hidden from the view of another. If this is God's plan for living holy lives - we need to move 'inside' his plan and stop trying to live as 'Lone Rangers' in this world. Just sayin!

No denying it

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen. (I Peter 5:8-11)

At times, we believe we are the only ones under attack. It as though all the world goes on around us, busy with their business, and there we are right in the midst of the worst kind of attack. We feel alone, like nobody knows we are there, much less that we are struggling to just keep our heads above water. What is one of the greatest tactics in our enemy's arsenal? The feeling that we are alone - that we cannot share the burden we are bearing with anyone else. Our instruction today is quite clear - we will all experience suffering from time to time - but we are not alone in the battle. There are other believers, put alongside us expressly for the purpose of helping us stay alert and stand firm in the midst of what otherwise would be a losing battle. When we realize we are not experiencing these things alone, we might just see the advantage to forming a 'gang' to deal with the attack! We might call this 'gang warfare'. It is when we stand as united force against all the 'crap' our enemy is hurling our way. Our battles may not be identical, but we all have the same enemy! It could just be time for us to unite in our battles. 

God called us to be a 'body of believers' who stand firm against the enemy's attacks, but we oftentimes attempt to do this all on our own. What a foolish maneuver on our part. We won't avoid the suffering, but we might just find restoration coming quicker when we are battling together. If we are afraid, or too prideful to admit we are facing the battle of our lives, we may just find ourselves overwhelmed in the midst of the battle. No single soldier wins the battle - it takes a united front. Perhaps this is why God establishes us in community - so we can form a solid wall of resistance against our enemy. Support is important, but it seldom comes to those too proud to admit they need it. Oh, maybe that is the real issue at hand today. Maybe we find ourselves struggling with our pride - unwilling to allow others to see our flaws and failures. My flaws are out there, my friends - they are no longer hidden. I hide behind whatever I could for way too long. It did me no good - in fact, it actually did me more harm than good. How? The more I tried to deny my faults, the farther away I was from what I needed most for my rescue, restoration, and strength!

The attacks are real. The temptations are never-ending. The moments of weakness come, Words are spoken without thought, Frustrations are allowed to overtake the moment. Before long, we find what we had worked so hard on our own to avoid has come to a full head right there in front of us. Then we have to begin the 'mop-up' and we even attempt to do that on our own! Whatever made us think we'd resist alone, let alone be able to 'clean up' the mess left behind in our lives all in our own power? God gives us good, Bible-believing friendships for a reason. It is time we bring out the 'big guns' to fight the battle. The 'big guns'? Community! We need each other's strength when ours is wavering. We need one another's perspective when all we see is our own limited view. We need the combined learning of each other's experiences and God-given answers to help us sort out truth from our enemy's lies. We cannot, and should not, live without each other. We are not 'we' until we are open to living open lives before each other. Just sayin!

I need you - today and always

Christ encourages you, and his love comforts you. God’s Spirit unites you, and you are concerned for others. Now...Live in harmony by showing love for each other. Be united in what you think, as if you were only one person. Don’t be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves. Care about them as much as you care about yourselves and think the same way that Christ Jesus thought... (Philippians 2:1-5 CEV)

I don't deal with ambiguity very well, because I think life should have clear direction. Ambiguity is the uncertainty of meaning or intention - the purpose is simply unclear. Where there is lack of clarity, I seek it out. This is my nature - I "uncover" what is not said, or what doesn't immediately reveal itself - the implied or intended meaning. Much of my difficulty with ambiguity comes in not knowing the intent of something. When we are dealing with ambiguity for a long period of time, we often need some encouragement and comfort to get through those times. No one encourages and comforts as Jesus does in quite the same way when the intent of something is not fully known!

Something happens when God's people come together in unity - there is a mutual encouragement which occurs. One bolsters the faith of another - helping each other face the ambiguous spots in life with just a little more energy. When God's kids rally around each other in the times of uncertain intent, the love of God begins to invade the spaces where uncertainty exists. In those moments, intent may not be fully understood, but the value of our community in which we are united shines through! This is why we need each other - because we cannot face ambiguity alone!

Count on Christ's encouragement - giving us a little stimulation where we most need it. It stimulates us deep within to hold on, press forward, take the first step. Without that encouragement what happens? We simply don't move forward when we should, and we often move without a plan or purpose whenever we do step forward. If understanding intent is so important to us, then taking steps without understanding is hard! What we need is someone to give us the thumbs up and tell us it is okay to take that first step. This is what Christ does for us - sometimes one-on-one in our meditation time with him - other times through the mouths of those he has brought us into companionship with. Either way, he sends the stimulation we need to not be paralyzed by the ambiguity life has put in our path.

Rely upon God's love - it carries us when we are lacking courage in the midst of the ambiguous spaces in life. I have a particularly close friend who does this quite often for me - oftentimes without even knowing she does it. In those times of uncertainty, sometimes all I need is a little bit of her humor, or a hug to let me know all will be well in the midst of the present struggle. God's love is understood in appreciating all the blessings he gives into our lives - but it is especially understood when his love is spoken through another deeply into the fibers of our being. In the expression of compassion, exuberance of enthusiastic agreement, or the solemnity of chastisement, we find the love of God expressed in the lives of those he has placed us in fellowship with.

Listen to his uniting Spirit - there is nothing worse than dealing with life's ambiguous moments or seasons all alone. God's uniting Spirit brings us together with those who can help us to walk through them and come out stronger on the other side! God sends his Spirit to unite us with others - establishing us in community so we don't wander into places of deeper uncertainty, or wither under the constant barrage of unknown intent. We all need intent, so God places us in the company of others who can help us discover the intent in ways we had no power to consider on our own. We need each other, my friends, to break through places of ambiguity in our lives. Just sayin!

Do me a favor

If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care—then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. (Philippians 2:1-4)

Has God's love made ANY difference in your life? What is that difference? Most of us will likely say that our lives were changed for the good, while others will say there was a dramatic change. Some left behind lifestyles marked by all manner of outward sin - like drug addiction, alcoholism, prostitution, or even thievery. There are many that will admit the things they left behind were just a bit subtler - what we can call inward sin - things like jealousy, hatred, lust, or pride. Regardless of the 'degree' of sin's impact - your life was changed and any change is really 'dramatic', isn't it?

God makes a difference in our lives - mostly because he somehow makes it clear that we are now part of a community of believers. We don't 'do' Christianity on our own. We don't walk alone - we do it in community with other believers - others whose lives have been changed, as well. Since we are called to live within community, it is pretty important that we learn how to live as a community of believers. First and foremost, we need to learn to agree with each other! Now, isn't that a tall order for us these days? 

There are more topics we can 'disagree' about these days - things like vaccinate / don't vaccinate; it is a hoax / it is real; it isn't our problem / it is all our problem. I don't want us to lose sight of one thing that helps us agree within community - truth. Truth is not situational - it is not based upon one's opinion. It is fact - fact cannot be argued against - it stands up to the test. One can find truth within the scriptures - then stand upon it because it is going to stand up to the test. We learn to love each other because we embrace truth and truth sets us free to love as Christ loved the world.

Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand - to let another 'move ahead' in the line of life, so to speak. How hard it is for some of us to actually forget ourselves and embrace another in true community. It is so very easy to embrace what will help ourselves or forward our cause, but quite another thing to embrace what will help another rise to the top or bring their hope to light. Yet, our greatest reward comes not in just being within community, but in allowing those within our community of believers to be lifted up, brought nearer to Christ, and furthered in the 'difference' Christ creates when he works through us with his love. Just sayin!

Never apologize

Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for the truth. 

(Benjamin Disraeli)

Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when they’re down. Get along with each other; don’t be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody. (Romans 12:15-16)

It is hard to hear how much tragedy is touching families these days. Family members lost to this virus; others surviving it, but left with life-long debility. Jobs lost; mementos buried under rubble; homes no longer habitable due to natural disasters. Entire countries in unrest; people senselessly murdered for their beliefs or unwillingness to bow their knee to the ruling authorities. The worst of the worst can leave one wondering where it will all end. It is likely you have been 'emotionally' vested in the lives of those who have experienced such a tragedy. Crying until tears no longer come - groaning in agony with those who suffer such loss and devastation. Connection in community means we will share in the happy times, but it also means we will weep with those who weep. Never apologize for that connection, my friends. It is what makes us 'community'.

I have seen first-hand the tragedy of this devastating viral attack on our world. As a member of the healthcare profession I have never seen anything so massively destructive as this one virus. I have seen the loss of young lives, not just the older, frailer ones. I have also observed something many of you have not: the extreme sorrow and devastation of heart that our healthcare workers have endured. Doctors pushed to the point of exhaustion - awakened all hours of the night to make adjustments to treatment protocols. Nurses endlessly garbed in protective gear, knowing they are not just 'delivering care', but rather fighting for the lives they see before them. Techs and nursing assistants running endlessly to keep patients turned, clean, linens changed, and supplies ready at the hand of the doctors and nurses. Respiratory Therapists pushed to their limits by endless hours of ventilatory support for their patients. I have also seen the families standing by for word of their loved one's recovery - even one iota of hope held out bringing some measure of peace to their aching hearts. Others struggling to let go, knowing their loved one has very little hope of recovery. 

What does a broken heart feel like, my friends? I think it might feel a little like a life being undone by the tragedy they face - like the life's blood was being sucked from the individual drop by drop until nothing remained but a weakened framework of humanity. Weep for those who weep; hold close those who hunger for just one touch to assure them they are not alone. Never apologize for being moved by life's greatest challenges - embrace them and embrace those who go through them alongside you. Stand together. If I could but request one thing of each of my friends today it would be the simple task of reaching out to another in a place of emotional need today. Will it cost you something? Yes, it will likely cost you a little bit of your emotional strength and connection, but that tiny bit of strength and connection you share with those hurting so terribly may be what helps pull them through to the other side. Let's be a community that steps up, reaches out, and holds close those who are so deeply touched by what seeks to undo them today. Just sayin!

Running a little hot or cold?

Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor. (James 3:17-18)

Stop for just a moment and consider just how hard it is for two to walk in agreement. There will always be differences in how we think - it is part of who we are and what we have experienced in life. We don't all 'think alike', regardless of how similarly we have been raised, studied, or been through challenges in life. We all face those opportunities differently because God made us each unique human beings, capable of independent thought and 'adaptive' behavior. 

It is quite possible you will associate with that phrase 'hot one day and cold the next' as we see in this passage. I can run hot and cold on a variety of topics. Catch me in a mood where my clothes are fitting a little snugger than I'd like, waistband biting in a bit, and I may be very 'hot' about eating right and getting a few extra steps tracked on the Fitbit. Catch me in a moment when the hot, fresh baked bread is beckoning me to slather it with fresh butter and I am a goner! Hot one day and cold the next!

In relationships it is quite possible we run a little hot and cold, as well. We don't always give it our all, do we? There are just times when we go through the motions, but our heart really isn't in it. There are also those times when no matter the cost or effort it will take, we are there - focused, willing, and even if not able, we are doing our best to be able. Perhaps this is why God reminds us it takes more than a little bit of focus and effort to build a healthy and robust community. 

If you have ever read up about Disney, you know that when the 'characters' are 'on stage', they always have to represent the 'feel' of magic in the air. They must be 'in character' - feeling it or not - it is an expectation. Imagine Mickey dragging his feet, shoulders slumped forward, and his head hung down. Would that be the image Disney wanted displayed at the 'happiest place on earth'? You know it isn't, so the characters have to 'put aside' their real 'burdens' and assume their 'character role' with commitment to his principles of always 'being in character'.

In day to day community we are not just 'in character', though. We get 'real' with each other - or at least that is how God wants it to be. When we get 'real' with each other, we can come across 'testy' or 'jubilant' - hot and cold, you might say. We must extend grace at times, while it is us who will need that exact grace at another time. Community isn't easily established and it is far easier to lose the sense and purpose of communing with each other than one might imagine. So, we must invest ourselves in it - work to keep it - treating each other with dignity and honor. 

Dignity - with decency and respect. Honor - in fairness, honesty, and integrity. Those are pretty 'high standards' required for community to be strong and vibrantly growing, aren't they? Are they possible? Yes, if we make the investment to be more than just 'in character' - getting real with each other and supporting one another through hot and cold seasons in those relationships. Just sayin!

Can we all get along?

How hard is it to get along with each other? HARD! How big does your tolerance have to be at times? BIG! How open do you have to be to finding ways to forgive one another? WIDE OPEN! This 'getting along' thing is harder than we might want to admit. If it was all that easily accomplished - there would never have been the first war, the first school yard fight, the first divorce, or the first debate over any issue! Doors would never have been slammed, feelings would never have been hurt, and work place violence would never have become an issue, either. If 'getting along' is the goal, then it must be achievable - because God never gives us goals that are not achievable in his grace!

Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor. (James 3:17-18 MSG)

A healthy and robust community is our goal, so understanding it begins by being in right relationship with God that we come into right relationship with each other is important. Yes, it is hard work - but every step we need to take to accomplish this goal is given to us in the Word, in times of prayer, and in simple use of our common sense. We need to be sensitive to the needs of others - but will we ever see those needs if we are always looking no further than our own needs? We are to be open to the ideas of others - but will we ever see those ideas come to fruition is we are always demanding our own way? Not likely!

We don't just get along by going along. We don't just go along with the plans of another and find we are getting along with each other. At some point, we are going to get a little disgruntled with always having to follow the plans of another - because we have ideas of our own and we sometimes want to do what we want to do. If this is the case, we need some way of 'incorporating' each other's needs into this thing called 'community'. Did you realize the root of community is common? It means we find things in common and we work to keep our attitudes in line - so that the community is maintained. There is no better 'common ground' than at the feet of Jesus.

Each of us has a need for Jesus in our lives. We ALL need his grace to be at work in us. Yet, we create scenarios in our imaginations in which there is more of us at the helm than there is Jesus. We don't want anything to do with finding out what God wants of us in the circumstances that arise - we'd rather just plunge ahead with our own misguided ideas and wants. Isn't it about time we look around us at those God has placed in our community and ask ourselves how well we are doing more than 'getting by' in that community?

God's desire is that we 'do' the hard work of getting along with each other - not by one being a doormat for the other, but by allowing him to be the center of each relationship. When he is at the center, there is no room for our endless selfishness to be in control. We find we are more understanding of each other, tolerant of those idiosyncrasies we ALL have, and we desire to give a little - take a little, but in shared recognition that God is the center of our community. Just sayin!

Love on!

The other day one of my acquaintances asked if I'd be interested in taking some of the supplements they are taking, touting just how wonderful they made her feel. I am not a big "taker" of stuff, taking only the stuff I need to take to be 'in balance' with my blood pressure, cholesterol, and the like. I find that to be quite enough! We are always looking for the things in life that truly make a difference - from supplements to the latest self-help book. If we observe a product at the market that will make life easier - we buy it. If we hear of a new tool that will remove the tightest of bolts - we put our faith in it. If we come across a book that announces the quickest way to lose ten pounds - we shell out the money to learn how. Why? We want what others have come to believe is the 'greatest' answer to our current need!

If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. (Philippians 2:1-4)

The most 'promising' of inventions and craziest of promises excites us and causes us to plunge head-long into believing they will make a huge difference in our lives. Yet, when someone begins to speak to us about the love of God, we can find ourselves shutting down. We give excuses for why God could never love us because of what we have done, why his love doesn't matter to us because we are too busy with other things right now, or how his love is too hard for us to grasp because it is given even when it is not actively sought. We miss the point of how deeply his love affects those he embraces - simply because we don't understand his unconditional love. It is possible to miss out on something not really all that crazy, and kind of overwhelmingly awesome, all because we don't understand it!

There is far more to living this life in Christ than simply trusting in him - there is an expectation that his life will have deeply impacted us in our relationships with each other. The stuff that really matters will be 'made better' because of his touch in our lives. Christ's love in our lives brings us into community with those of similar character and identity as us. God uses "community" to accomplish so much in the way of growth in our lives - exposing us to things about ourselves that we wouldn't realize otherwise. We cannot escape the "value" of being related with others of similar character - those who share the identity of Christ in their lives. Within community, we are challenged to face our real self, move beyond the mundane, and to come into new areas of growth. That is what love does - it moves us. It is not content to see us "unaffected" by life - love wants to see a response. God places us in community to give us ample chance to see the response of others to the love of God - all the while learning from their examples.

Through his love, we can learn how to agree with each other - we are not talking "world peace" here, but a true ability to view another as a valuable part of God's creation - of greater worth than any of the latest or greatest of fads, supplements, or 'offered' solutions out there. His love in our lives is meant to be continually reproduced in the lives of others. Love that is modeled is able to affect someone much deeper than love that is merely in reflected in words. Agreement is really making a way for the individuality of each person. It is being willing to accept instead of allowing people's short-comings or differences to become a stumbling block we get tripped up on all the time. We stop focusing so much on socioeconomic status, the color of our skin, or the level of education one achieved. We focus instead on what we have in common - the love of Christ.

His love is what helps us maintain proper perspective of our own worth - we are valuable citizens of his kingdom, but interestingly, we are not more highly valued than our fellow brother or sister. When his love guides our actions, we do less "fronting" of our own worth and more "elevating" of the worth of one another. This adds to the agreement within a community. When God's love is given the proper perspective in our lives, it affects the community in which we live. His love is no "fad" that promises one thing, but sadly disappoints. In fact, his promises are true, perfectly orchestrated to meet each need of our heart, and are a solid foundation for us to place our trust in. His love is no "fast fix" to life's woes, but it is a consistent "fix". Nothing is more consistent than his love - nothing conveys consistency in our lives more than his love manifested in us. So, love on! Just sayin!

Okay, I've got ZERO traction here!

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. (Galatians 6:1 NLT)

I know for a fact just how easy it is to get caught up in some temptation we might have thought we had already dealt with fully, for I have followed some path back to where I really shouldn't have gone on more than one occasion! I usually am smart enough to see that I am headed there, and maybe even arrived a little ahead of schedule! There have been times when I have needed the faithful words of a friend or two to direct me back on course again, simply because I get stuck in the mire of the wrong place I got myself into. There is no shame in needing help from time to time - there is more "shame" in not taking it when it is offered!

I honestly believe God puts us in a community of believers because he knows we don't always recognize how bogged down we are getting in our sin or compromise. It is like the one who drives tenuously through the muddy area, only to find the rear tires of the car keep sinking deeper and deeper into the mud. What do they do? They gun the engine hoping the more "power" they exert the quicker they will be free of what seems to be holding them captive! The issue isn't that we don't have enough "power" to escape the mire we are in, it is that we lack the "traction" to get out of that pit alone!

I watched a video on social media the other day of a lady trying repeatedly to step up onto a rather icy sidewalk and through her front gate toward the house. She took one step forward and slid almost ten back! Nothing she did made any difference in her getting from the "low position" she was in at the street level onto that "simple step up" onto the curb level. Something like six inches of distance separated her from making the progress she needed to make and she couldn't seem to get where she needed to be simply because there was absolutely no traction for her! We chuckle at the folly of that video, but the truth of the matter is that many of us are kind of like that when it comes to sin or compromise in our lives! We just cannot get enough "traction" to make even the smallest step "stick" so that we can make some forward progress.

It may not be that we want the help of another to see our sin or compromise, but we likely need their assistance to get some "traction" in our lives to get from where we are to where we need to be! There is nothing easy in taking that hand offered, nor is there "ease" in admitting we aren't headed in the direction we should have been. Yet, when we are encountered by one who comes along to give us that "push in the right direction", we'd be silly to refuse it! We could spend a whole lot more time stuck in the mire of our sin or compromise when we are too proud to admit we actually could use their hand! Just sayin!

Cultivating common ground

I have a serious concern to bring up with you, my friends, using the authority of Jesus, our Master. I'll put it as urgently as I can: You must get along with each other. You must learn to be considerate of one another, cultivating a life in common. {I Corinthians 1:10 MSG}

When we say we are going to "get" anything, we mean that we are going to come into possession of something we are about to put into use, or make available for one's enjoyment and satisfaction.  When we combine this with the word "along", we are indicating we are about to live life in parallel to each other.  It can get a little messy to live life in parallel to anyone else, but it is not exactly easy to live life running in opposite direction of each other!

When we seek to live life in parallel, we are commanded to do a couple of things - be considerate of one another, and cultivate the "parallel life" as deeply as possible. To be considerate of another we have to become familiar with the life circumstances they are presently experiencing, as well as those which have already shaped their lives. As you can well imagine, I am not as well acquainted with the life of someone who was raised in the jungles of South America, or the wilds of the African dessert regions.  I grew up here in the United States, and as a result, my vantage point on life has been shaped by the presence of luxuries others in these remote regions may not have ever experienced.  Just as equally, I have not experienced the hatred and contempt for one's race, color, or creed as others may have experienced firsthand. Does this mean I cannot walk in parallel with those who are different from me? Absolutely not!  What it does mean is that I may have to "cultivate" that walk a little.

To "get along" means more than just tolerating another's way of life or unique character qualities. It means more than respecting them. Yes, it involves all of these things, but it also involves each of us remembering we are not different from each other in one important thing - we were all born sinners, in need of a Savior, and no man, woman, or child is without sin in their lives.  If we start there, we find we have a good place to begin to cultivate our relationship with each other. In fact, there is no better place to begin to experience community than on "common ground".

When we set out to cultivate soil, it is with the purpose of planting, which in turn is done to produce growth, resulting in something which can not only sustain us, but pass life onto others. To cultivate a life in parallel with each other, we find it takes more than a little work - in fact, it requires repeated passage over rough areas with such frequency that we eventually see the things which stand as barriers to growth in our lives begin to break down into smaller and smaller pieces until one day the relationship is able to accept the seed, allowing rich and vibrant growth to come forth.

In a time when differences seem to be at the forefront of our news stories, media posts, and daily conversations, it is important to remember what we are to be cultivating. We are designees of God's grace and as such, we walk in parallel with others who may or may not have experienced that grace in all of its fullness yet. We cultivate growth within those areas of differences through the extension of grace. We may not see eye-to-eye on every topic we will discuss, or feel impassioned about in our own lives, but we stand a better chance of getting to appreciate the perspective of the one who has walked that path if we are willing to extend a little grace into the relationship. Just sayin!

More than a denomination

Those of you following my blog on a regular basis know I was raised in the Catholic faith and then after being out on my own, I chose to leave the Catholic church, choosing instead to associate myself with more of the non-denominational Christian church community.  I have been asked many times why I would leave the Catholic church and I always respond the same way - it wasn't the place for me to learn what I needed to learn, grow as I needed to grow, and become what I needed to become.  I will admit it almost broke my father's heart when I did leave the Catholic church, as he had been raised "staunch" Catholic and I can still recall every Saturday confession, Sunday communion, my first Communion, my Confirmation, and catechism classes.  All though high school, I struggled immensely with lots and lots of actions which really didn't reflect a very good "Catholic" at all.  I really needed more than a weekly visit to the confessional, if you get my drift!  Yet, all the while, I felt something tugging at my heart, for at the age of fourteen I had prayed the prayer of faith - asking Jesus to forgive my sins, come into my life, and make me a new person from the inside out.  I tried reading the Bible, but really had no one to mentor me in my faith, so I never really grew that much.  I had said "yes" to Jesus, but I was really "marching in place".  Deep inside I longed to be made new - sick of how lonely I felt all the time, distraught about continuing to disappoint my parents with all my wrong behaviors, and just plain miserable as a person, but wearing a pretty mask on the outside which said "everything is fine".  It wasn't until I was on my own in the military when I finally hit bottom. I can still remember the day my friend took me with him in his little blue VW bug to this "hand raising", "lively chorus singing", and very "happy" church.  My world was turned on end that night!  I could hardly wait for the sermon to end before I found myself at the altar, asking Jesus to transform what had become of my very empty and very lonely life.  I had found something which I had longed for without even knowing that was what I longed so desperately to enjoy!

So we should stop judging each other. Let’s decide not to do anything that will cause a problem for a brother or sister or hurt their faith. I know that there is no food that is wrong to eat. The Lord Jesus is the one who convinced me of that. But if someone believes that something is wrong, then it is wrong for that person. (Romans 14:13-14 ERV)

What I needed was community - something I just didn't find in my previous twenty years.  I needed connection - something I just didn't realize I could ever achieve because I had told myself I wasn't "worth it".  That night transformed my life - not overnight, but it began a journey I haven't turned back from or regretted for even one minute!  I made the decision to come regularly to that church in Anchorage - the church on a hill - Abbott Loop Christian Center.  Yep, it wasn't a Catholic church and I was about to break all the foundational "rules" I had been raised within, but it was what I needed in order to grow up in Christ. I grew by leaps and bounds that year, realizing I was loved more by Jesus than I ever had known before.  I found myself embracing lively praise and hand-raising worship.  I noticed myself broken and yearning - something "giving" inside of me which hadn't "given" before.  It was the beginning of a new era in my life and I was grateful for the things I was starting to see, appreciate, and understand for the first time.  Most importantly - I was certain that God loved me - just as I was, without any merit of my own, and he wanted relationship with me.  

I tell you all this to remind each of us of one important thing - God doesn't care about which denomination we attend - because in his eyes there is no "denomination".  These are "communities" of our own doing - we made these what they are today, not him.  His idea from the very beginning was one people, in relationship with him, and growing closer and closer to his heart each day. Where we get to that point doesn't really matter!  I can attend the Catholic church, Assemblies of God, or the local non-denominational Christian church. What he does care about is a few things:

- The Bible must be taught in totality.  None of it is without merit - all of it must be taught.  It isn't up for our own interpretation and we must adhere to the rules of interpretation which makes up "good teaching".  

- Sinners must be welcomed.  None of us is without sin, but to look down upon some or exclude them because of their "particular sin" is not the example we ever saw when Jesus ministered on this earth. 

- A sense of community must be established.  This is where and how we grow. We need the privilege of "being real" with another group of individuals because this is how we learn from each other and grow in Christ.

Paul said it well in Romans - we don't create a place where others feel judged and we don't create a place where there is no chance of being who we really are.  We don't have to "condone" any particular action or behavior which is opposite to that which God outlines in scripture, but it doesn't mean the individual is rejected or excluded from our fellowship.  What it means is that we create a safe place for them to meet Jesus, discover his love for themselves, find out how much he cares about transforming their lives, and then helping them to grow in that relationship.  If you think about "denominations" as how we describe something such as our currency and coins, you might see "denominations" within the church a little differently.  We have call our differing "bills and coins" of our money systems "denominations" because they each carry a different "value".  In God's economy, none of us carries any different value!  Just sayin!

Walk with, not on

Yesterday we explored a little about being egocentric and how Christ changes our focus from "self-centered" to "other-centered" as he begins to become the object of our affection and attention.  As we begin today, we will consider how this change in "center" really is manifest in our lives.  Anytime we make a change in our position, we also change our focus.  Try it - turn around right where you are right now and try to see the screen of your computer from that position.  It is most difficult to see the screen with our head turned toward it, right?  It is also most difficult for us to see ourselves as the center of attention when we turn our eyes toward the face of Jesus.  Instead of beholding ourselves, we begin to behold the creator of all things.  This simple realization of position determining our focus helps us make great strides as it comes to laying down the stuff which really only matters to us and taking up the stuff which begins to reach others, ministering to the depth of their needs.

If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. (Philippians 2:1-4 MSG)

Our "list" starts with learning to be agreeable.  I emphasize this as a teachable quality as not all of us are very skilled at being agreeable - especially when we have the focus on ourselves instead of the other person. When we make this shift in focus from self to others, we also are challenged with putting the "agendas" we hold behind us in respect for the needs of others.  Really the focus here is living without discord - to not find the stuff you could "nit-pick" about the other guy or gal.  This is probably one of the most difficult things for us since we almost always can find fault with the "other guy".  Truth be told, they can find fault with us, too!  Learning to get along with each other - to live above discord - is almost an art.  It is possible, but it begins with the change in focus - moving from seeing self first to seeing the needs, opinions, and beliefs of others before you jump to conclusions as to what they intend and believe.

As much as being agreeable will go a long way to changing how it is we interact in our community of relationships, learning to be truly loving is something which escapes a great many.  We have this warped idea of love having strings attached - of us doing things to get things.  Don't get me wrong, because we come into this world demanding our own way - cry and you get fed, cry and your diaper is changed, cry and you get held.  We kind of learn this "doing something gets us something" attitude.  So, later in life when we come to Christ, it is kind of like "undoing" some bad habits.  We need to keep in mind that our needs are met in Christ and no one meets them more perfectly than he does.  They are not met by our doing, but by his.  They are not met because we demand of him, but because he loved us enough to prepare for our every need.  Learning to see love as given without strings is part and parcel with what God expects of his kids.

When we are challenged to be "deep-spirited friends", we might be a little curious how this actually happens.  God isn't after us just flitting around from relationship to relationship, but rather "locking into" some relationships which matter and within which we can build a sense of accountability.  Not only do we benefit from this, but each one involved in these deeper relationships benefits from the inter-connection, as well.  Deep-spirited friends challenge others to grow, not because they wield some sense of power over them, but because iron sharpens iron.  We benefit from having to work on tough issues together, being open and transparent with each other about struggles, and then holding each up when times are rough.

Two very important reminders are provided next which speak about genuineness within relationship and the view we have of others.  Those who use "sweet talk" or flattery are insincere.  Their aim is still themselves - they want to make themselves look good, or to endear themselves to someone without the genuine concern for the relationship.  Those who push their way to the top are not concerned about those they walk over on their way up. Both traits are damaging to community relationship.  These traits are common in those whose focus in internal, but when our focus turns toward the eyes of Jesus, we begin to see how damaging continuing in these practices can be. We begin to see others as Jesus sees them and he didn't walk on others, nor did he push his way to the top.

The long and short of the message is to take a look outside of yourself and consider the needs of others first.  This doesn't mean we neglect the things which give us anchor in life - like personal time in the Word, prayer, etc.  It does mean we don't consider our needs as more important than those of others and that we don't take advantage of others.  Most importantly, it means we begin to take the focus off ourselves and see how we "fit" in the big picture of this community God has placed us within.  Just sayin!

Is it worth the stress?

On a scale of one to ten, how likely would it be for others to describe you as easy to get along with (ten being the easiest to get along with)?  On most days, I think others may be gracious when giving me a score as high as five! Most of the time, I do my best to mix well with the team I am placed to serve in - whether it is at home, in the workplace, or somewhere in the community. Some of these groups will be easier to have congenial relationships which seem to be characterized by good will and collegial relationships.  In other groups, the "characters" within the group make it a little harder for us to score a perfect ten in this "getting along" category, right?  We cannot always score a ten on this one, though - or can we?  According to what James tells us, a holy life is characterized by getting along with others. Uh oh - now I have gone to meddling!  If we score a ten consistently, it must be because we are embracing this life of God's wisdom, and not living by the whim or fancy of our mood!  Scripture has a way of dealing with our delusion, doesn't it?

Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.  (James 3:17-18 MSG)

Certainly "getting along" with others doesn't mean we always go with what the other guy proposes, following along in a subservient manner, does it?  No, it doesn't, but it does mean we work together for the common good and strive to reduce the "points of friction" as much as possible - even when it means we give a little on the things which really don't matter.  Notice I did not say we "give a little" on the things which make up the minimum standards of right living God requires - such as adhering to the truth, keeping Christ at the center, and denying self.  There are some "grey areas" we can agree to not fret about, though - these are the areas in which I think we need to compromise a little.  For example, as a youth pastor, one of the controversies in the teen population vs. parents and pastors was the topic of tattoos.  Now, before you shut me off here, hear me out.  Try as I might, I could not find any specific passages which dealt with tattoos.  Yep, there were vague passages about not defiling the body, treating it as a temple of the Holy Spirit, etc.  We could go back to the Levitical Law and see that Israel was instructed not to make any cuts in their body or tattoos on their body.  So, scripture did declare tattoos off-limits for Israel - because they were part of ancient cultic practices, not because they were tattoos.  It was related to a practice of the times linking the marking of one's body as a sign of your allegiance and dedication to a cult.  Today's tattooing practices may not have the same significance.  My daughter has one - my son several.  Did I really approve of them having them?  No, but could I compromise on their desire to have this artwork on their body?  Yes.  Why?  They weren't doing it to mark themselves for Satan or some cultic leader.  Would I get one myself?  I really don't think so, simply because I don't like pain!

Standing firm against a tattoo with my teenage children would have driven a wedge into our relationship.  It would have made all the truth I had been sharing with them about a new covenant in Christ, freedom from Old Testament Law, and grace a little convoluted.  You see, I knew their heart wasn't to mark themselves for demonic practices - so holding hard and fast to some Old Testament rule would be going against the principles of grace Christ proclaimed in the New Testament.  Did I delight in their tattoos?  No, but I delighted in the kids and valued the relationship with the kids above all.  This seemed to be what God wanted me to understand and hold onto when this subject came up in our own home - so although it would not have been my choice, I wouldn't allow a wedge to be driven between us because it was theirs.  Sometimes we know something is clearly wrong and that is when we take a stand.  On those other areas where we sense there is not really any danger of this "thing" they desire to pursue will move them away from God, I think we would do well to "not sweat it".

I think this is what James had in mind when he spoke of treating each other with dignity and respect.  As long as the choices aren't compromising truth, we can allow them.  God doesn't care if we eat pork, beef, or are vegan.  He doesn't care if we worship on Saturday or Sunday.  He doesn't fret about whether we wear dresses to church or jeans.  He doesn't care if we read the original King James Version of the Bible or a paraphrase.  He DOES care about us knowing truth, adhering to it, engaging with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and doing everything to help each other grow.  Maybe some of the stuff we stress about, which ultimately makes us a little less than agreeable with each other, is really not worth the stress!  Just sayin!

A culture of love

We encounter Jesus in all different ways, but the "easiest" way to encounter him is through the life of another.  Whenever we see and feel Jesus "lived out" through the life of a human being, we connect to him in a manner which we can really wrap our heads around.  One of the hopes Jesus had when he left his disciples on this earth to go back to living with his Father in heaven was the idea of close, intimate fellowship with other believers.  He knew the power of this closeness - the strength in the "numbers", so to speak.  For this fellowship to be really, really good, we need to remember it involves a couple of things like unity, partnership, and participation.  Try to get anything done where there is a lack of unity, a working in silos, or a simple lack of disregard for another and you don't get very far.  In the most literal sense, Jesus showed his disciples the cycle of believing and belonging.  There is something which stems from our beliefs - it is the ability and willingness to belong. 

Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality. Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when they’re down. Get along with each other; don’t be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody. Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do.  (Romans 12:9-18 MSG)

In order for us to get the most out of our times of fellowship with each other, it is essential to create a culture where love is free to grow and have its deepest influence in our lives.  This is the type of culture Jesus tried to create for those who moved into fellowship with him.  It was a culture where people, good and bad alike, were welcomed and felt both comfort and challenge. What are some of the characteristics of this culture of love Jesus created?

- It is a place where people are really loved.  There are a lot of excuses for "love" these days, but when you find a place where love is genuine, from the core of another's being, you know you are loved.  Jesus had a way of making people aware of his love, not by the words he spoke, but by the actions he exhibited.  As it has been said millions of times - words speak, but actions speak louder.

- It is a place where what is truly wrong is really not something we will embrace.  I don't use the "hate" word very often, but in truth, a culture of love hates evil.  There is not desire to embrace even one iota of evil - wrong.  It is not a place of intolerance, but of desire to live untainted by that which takes away from the beauty and wholeness of God's unconditional love.

- It is also a place where we both embrace good and stand up for it.  We all have the ability to embrace good - having the ability and willingness to stand up for it is quite a different matter.  To embrace something requires empty arms - maybe this is the way we really begin to mesh in fellowship with another.  We empty ourselves of all which weighs us down, in order to embrace that which sets us free.  Then we go about sharing what has become the basis of our joy.

- It is a culture of honor.  If you have ever observed a military graduation, with the parading troops, turned out in their adorned uniforms, all spit-shine and glowing, you have seen an element of "honor".  For those who choose the way of military life, there is honor in wearing the uniform of the country they so proudly stand up for.  Honor is both standing up for another and standing in for another.  It is the willingness to lay down your own agenda in respect for the needs of another.

- It is a place were laziness is not a trend, but a rarity.  A culture of love is an active culture - there is continual service toward each other.  There is no shortage of the giving of oneself to meet the needs of another - spoken and unspoken.

- It is a place where blessing, not cursing, becomes the way of communicating.  Most will agree, more is shared in the unspoken communication of love than in the spoken.  Blessing another with your time, talent, and treasure are all ways of where love becomes a means of communicating the grace of God in another's life.

- It is also a place where your life experiences matter.  If you have ever shared your tears with another, you know how much that exchange mattered. There is something powerful in sharing both the joys and sorrows of another. Today, I received news the father of a friend we have been praying for received the news of no active disease (NAD) on his most recent PET scan. The cancer is gone!  This life experience has been something very tough for this family, but when life experiences have been walked together, the journey is made a little lighter.

- It is a culture where diversity is appreciated, not condemned.  We all contribute uniquely in community.  Fellowship with others is a way of learning from the diversity, not setting the diverse apart.  There is so much to be learned when brothers and sisters learn to dwell together in unity, isn't there?

So, how do we get to this place of fellowship?  First, you and I need to individually experience the love of God in our own lives.  It is this love which draws us together and holds us in bonds which are not easily broken.  One thing we learn from God's example of love through is Son is the idea of being loved as we are, not as we could or should be.  Jesus never looked for us to clean up our act so he could love us.  He loved us first, knowing that very love would be what would lead to our desire to be cleaned inside and out.  I think this is why it is so important we experience God's love ourselves - we need to get our priorities straight.  His love is "reaching" - it reaches even the worst of sinners right where they are - not where they should be!

Second, we have to practice God's love.  Nothing good comes naturally in life, have you ever noticed that?  The really good stuff you have to work a little harder to obtain.  You want a nice waistline, you work at it.  You want a better career, you work at it.  In God's family, the same is true.  You want a family where love is modeled and unloving behavior is not the "norm" - you have to work at it.  Practice makes perfect is the old adage - so want to begin to love perfectly?  Then you have to practice love a lot!

Last, but not least, we have to allow God to love others through us.  This may seem like it should go without saying, but in actuality, we sometimes don't want to share ourselves with another.  There is something which transpires within us when we are willing to share in the lives of others - community. God is always more evident in the love which is shared than in the love which is spoken.  Just sayin!