The Way of Love

I think sometimes that we have lost our way in the Western church. It seems the most important thing is growing in our Biblical knowledge. Biblical knowledge is essential to our faith but it seems that growing in Biblical knowledge has for many become the measure of their Christian growth. Sadly it is not and I know of many extremely Biblically knowledgeable people whose lives leave much to be desired. Biblical knowledge is not the way of Jesus.

When my wife and I moved two years ago we determined that our primary ministry would be our neighbours. But we also decided we would not rely on any program, evangelistic outreaches, booklets and tracts, or the life. Rather we would simply love them. Jesus said all the law is summed up in the two commandments to love God and love your neighbour. The law was in its essence a prescription for the way one should live. So when Jesus says that the law is summed up in love he is saying love is the way we should live. So taking that to heart we asked God to show us how to love our neighbours.

We've connected to some with around 15 households on our street, some have been disinterested in pursuing a friendship but others have become friends. Of these only one is a Christian. As our friendships have grown we have faced a number of relational challenges. When we did we would turn to God and ask, how do we love this person or couple in this situation. Every time God has shown us what to do or done it for us. Sometimes the issue wasn't that we didn't know what to do but rather struggling with our own selfishness and weakness to do what God was calling us to. To be honest some people aren't very loveable and somedays we weren't in the mood to be loving.

Loving your neighbour isn't a matter of just being nice and polite to them. It is taking the initiative to build a friendship, serving them and seeking their welfare. It is going out of your way, doing the uncalled for, going the extra mile, and even being a bit silly and pushing yourself into the lives of others. Over the two years our capacity to love others has grown and in the process our love for God. Not only that but our understanding of Biblical truth has grown. Passages that we've read many times, heard taught many times, come alive as God teaches us to live the way of love.

Sometimes I think we can be like a person who wants to be a car mechanic and studies and studies the manuals and books on cars but rarely actually picks up a spanner and works on a car. Even though they can recite lots of facts about the mechanics of a car they are rubbish mechanics. If we receive immense amounts of Biblical teaching but are not reaching out to other people, pushing ourselves beyond our comfort zone, loving not just the friendly people but the annoying, irritable and inconvenient ones as well, both believers and unbelievers, we're just stuffing our heads with knowledge while our hearts hang onto their selfish desires. So how about skipping a Bible study or two and instead use that time to get out and love someone. That is what Jesus did and what he has called us to. As you do I can assure you that you will grow in your love for God and the Bible will come alive.