So what does it look like when followers of
Christ serve and love like Jesus? Does it involve bombing abortion clinics in
order to demonstrate the human sanctity of life? Does it involve gay bashing and
violent protests again gay marriage in order to demonstrate the sanctity of
marriage? Does it involve kicking people out of the church who have failed in
order to demonstrate the purity of the church? Does it involve consigning
people who don’t accept “the Truth” to eternal judgment in order to demonstrate
the significance of correct doctrine? Does it involve fearing to befriend
people who don’t believe like you in order to protect the safety of the church?
Does it involve condemning AIDS as God’s judgment on sin in order to
demonstrate the holiness of God? What does it look like when Christ followers
serve and love like Jesus?
Mahatma Gandhi, the Hindu leader who created a
global movement of social transformation through nonviolence, once said, “I
love your Christ. It’s Christians I can’t stand.” Isn’t he actually describing
what should be considered an oxymoron? How can there be a disconnect between
Jesus and the followers of Jesus? Aren’t they supposed to be one and the same
in character, principle and behavior? Shouldn’t the Gandhis of the world be
able to love Christ’s followers because they in turn love Christ and live like
Him? Loving one is loving the other.
The disciple John understood this perfectly. So
he challenged the believers of his day, “We know what real love is because
Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our
brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a
brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that
person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us
show the truth by our actions.” (1 John 3:16--18, NLT)
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