Love the Body

Sometimes I miss the most obvious things.

I was listening to Christian radio talk show host Neil Boron on Buffalo’s WDCX as he told the story of visiting another church — he’s a former pastor — and seeing the directions showing the restrooms were located at the end of a long hallway, walking by at least thirty people who simply looked at him but didn’t say anything. He said in many of those cases he initiated contact because they didn’t. He eventually made it to the auditorium and found a seat, and still nobody initiated communication with him until that particular part of the service where people are told to welcome each other.

This really bothered him.

It bothered me as I heard it.

That’s when I started thinking about John 13:34-35, the “new commandment” verse:

^{John 13:34-35 (The Message)} “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.”

I mean, it’s not rocket science to notice that Jesus is clearly not saying that the world will be affected when we reach out to them and love them.  Of course we should do that.  We’re actually doing a credible job of that right now, at least on the domestic front; social justice ministries are multiplying in our churches faster than rabbits.

No, He says the world will sit up and take notice when we evidence love for each other.  They are watching us.  How are we doing on that one?

Is it possible we can be showing the love to the world at large, but not making a significant impact because they still don’t see it working internally for us as a church?

‘How they love each other! How they are willing even to die for one another!’ – Tertullian (early church historian).