Sunday's Romans reading (12:9-21) has more than 30 imperatives all related to love, but we do well to remember the source of that love: "God shows his love for us in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us." (5:8) There are times when this love of Jesus can be offensive to us. We don't believe we could possibly deserve such love. We don't feel we need it. We sometimes don't want it. But the love of Christ always has a way of coming to us, and by its steadfast, forgiving, courageous, risk-taking power, he disarms our defenses, and opens up a place of trust within us. What would it be like to risk that same offensive love to an enemy or stranger? Paul proclaims that as Christ also loved our enemies, our love is not only expressed to those we like, but also to these who themselves we may easily get defensive around. "Contribute to the needs of the saints: extend hospitality to strangers... Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (8:13, 21) As true love loves without expecting anything in return, so love for an enemy or stranger does not expect love back, but loves hoping to disarm the power of hostility.
Do you ever struggle with Christ's love being offensive to you? What enemy or stranger could you to show disarming love to today?
No comments:
Post a Comment