Loveless?

Our God is love. Our greatest command is to love. We're supposed to be known by our love.

So, why is love the last thing on our mind?

We honor the rich who oppress the poor. We glorify the systems that exploit the weak. We celebrate those who marginalize unbelievers. We revel in the defeat of those who are different.

We return insult for insult. We seek power to overcome our enemies. We loudly proclaim our superiority.

Our cross gathers dust in the corner. The Gospel goes unspoken. Our lives remain unchanged.

We do not love mercy. We do not do justice. We have not walked humbly with our God.

Our hope is still in politics. We know our Constitution better than we know –or follow – the words of Jesus.

We are quick to stand for our own rights and slow to consider the rights of others.

We would rather live in a Christian nation than to live among the lost and love them as Jesus did.

We are not friends with sinners. We want nothing to do with those outside the church.

But if our God is love, then maybe those without love don’t know God.

If our greatest command is to love, then maybe those without love are the real sinners.

And if Jesus says they will know that we are his disciples by our love, then perhaps those without love aren’t really Christians at all?

Love is the litmus.

Without love, we are nothing.

Without love, we are lost.

Without love, our message is worthless.

“If you love only those who love you in return, what credit is that to you?” – Jesus [Luke 6:32]

“Love is the fulfillment of the law.” – Paul [Romans 13:10]