Loving Others

 I love the examples that Jesus left while he was on this earth how to love: He loved unconditionally, with no expectations and at all cost. 

He crossed cultural, racial and spiritual barriers by not being ashamed of conversing with the woman at the well whom had a bad reputation. 

He wasn't afraid to reach out to the social outcasts - the poor, the lame, the blind, the unclean. 

While religious leaders of that day considered those that were sick as 'cursed by God'; Jesus not only healed them, but did so with compassion. 

When people gathered with stones in hand, eager to bring condemnation to the woman caught in adultery - instead of feeding their righteous indignation, he reveals the ugliness of her accusers' hearts. 

I'm convinced that the modern day church as a whole has yet to grasp this kind of love. 

I have yet to grasp this kind of love. 

It is evidenced regularly by our critical communication of others. Our actions and innermost thoughts are so very telling. We can proclaim the love of Christ, but our hearts can be so very far from it. Anyone can show a generic kindness and display forced works out of duty - but a genuine love and care for others: this requires a supernatural outflow from God's goodness within us. Too often we rely on our works, and not enough on Him working through us...it simply must be a surrender of the heart and will, and not a due diligence. 

So I'm learning. 

When we can stop condemning, stop criticizing and simply, genuinely and honestly invite others into a deeper connection with pure vulnerability and no expectations - then and only then will we know how to love them as Christ does. When we can step down from our 'spiritual high horse' and recognize how imperfect, how broken and damaged we are ourselves; only then can we begin to comprehend the desperate need that knits our lives together; there is where we find common ground. I am no better than, no more spiritual, no more "cleaner" than you. 

"Love" was the two most important commands. And the order was specific for a purpose: loving God enables us to supernaturally carry out a genuine love for others. 

"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who
love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you?
Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment,
what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get

anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the
Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
Luke 6:32-36