May Love give
Love, create Love, and give Again
“And let us consider
how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up
meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one
another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
- Hebrews 10:24-25
(NIV)
As a
friend, a son, a fiancé, and co-worker, I must not separate who I am, what I
believe, or my relationship with Christ, from what I speak or do when around
others. Just as I should be a voice of wisdom
to potential believers, by Christ, even more should I be a voice of
encouragement and love to my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to do good,
to share our faith and belief – to live out my faith in action, whether seen or
unseen – so that we are following the instructions of Christ (being the good
Samaritan, being the salt and the light, and making disciples to share their
relationship with the living and loving God).
How hard
this is when my flesh gets in the way with my own personal emotions and
resentment, or frustration with others.
But how much more important it is for me in those times to pray for
myself to dissipate and Christ, the Holy Spirit, to be the choice lived (for he
is the way the truth and the life). Like
choosing what channel is showing through the tube, I must choose to allow
Christ to come through what is seen. Not
being fake, not saying that I’m not going to deal with what emotions might have
initially stopped me from doing it God’s way, but choosing to love versus
choosing to let my emotions that does not honor God aside for God to deal with,
for us to relinquish together, or however it is done. The point is the choice made, for it’s the
choice that matters more that the emotions that were felt upon making the
choice.
Christ
is the truth, the way, and the life.
This is what should matter beyond all else, and Christ is what I must
train my body, emotions and all, to point others towards. This is why we must encourage each other,
because it is difficult to do alone.
Where a single cord my break under pressure, three braided together
would be able to persevere and stand the strain of whatever pressure may
come. Whether we see the Day Christ
comes back while we breathe, or while we rest in the earth, we should encourage
each other, we need to encourage each other.
Because our time on this earth is surely short, and God knows this, it
is short for both believers and potential brothers and sisters alike. We do not know when a close friend, a
co-worker, or family member will have their time cut short. But as you realize and understand the
shortness of the time we each have here, be sure to relay this urgency to your
actions so that no one is left in the dark concerning Christ.
Confess
Christ to others, do it in a way that is easy for others to understand, do it
creatively, do it with honesty and integrity, but like Nike's (tm) infamous quote says, “ Just do
it.”
I must encourage myself, and my
fellow worshipers to be a light, to be creative in sharing Christ, and using
our hands and minds to do more than speak with words who Christ is, but show in
love and deeds. Whether by volunteering,
being and example in your house, learning to truly forgive another, building
houses for others, giving to the poor, adopting a child, loving truly your own
family, or wherever you may fit this into your life. Wherever, however, with the love of and
encouragement of Christ, let it be done.
