Are we really demonstrating love?

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day 💜 and in light of the volatility of our current politics and society, I just want to briefly share my thoughts on our responsibility as Christians. 

The world will always be exactly what it is...the world. However, those of us that subscribe to biblical truths and have declared ourselves to be Christians have a responsibility. Not only to be the hands and feet of Jesus, but also to reflect His voice and heart in the world. That means we are not to remain silent when we see our fellow man/woman facing mistreatment in the form of debasement, injustice and oppression of any kind.

If we claim to be representatives of Jesus Christ, that means we understand that He has already authorized us to speak truth in the face of lies, deceit and corruption. It also means that we must disturb the waters of society when it has become stale, bitter and toxic in order to make way for fresh and living water. That is achieved by speaking truth whenever the opportunity arises, whether we're in casual conversation, taking action in our sphere of the world or utilizing our platform to influence hearts and minds. When ignorance and miseducation is being displayed, we must be able to discern when it's a moment to stand up and speak out.

It's disturbing to see so many Christians, particularly leaders of the faith, side with the ugly faction of our society through their silence and their actions. We're witnessing individuals operate in hateful ways (covertly and overtly) towards people while attempting to justify it in the name of God. Seeing whole segments of our society, shunned, devalued and disregarded by government officials and average citizens that claim to be "Christians" has been eye-opening. On one hand, many are quick to quote Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. but turn right around and exhibit hateful behavior towards their fellow human-beings. Those actions cannot be reconciled. It simply reflects hypocrisy, unbelief and ungodliness.

Justice and Christ-like Love go hand-in-hand and are attributes of the image of God. We can't claim to love people and then turn a blind eye to the issues of injustice. But choosing to be oblivious to matters of injustice is running rampant in the Christian community. The topic is rarely discussed in many churches, yet God clearly points out his disdain for injustice throughout scripture. Jesus' time on Earth demonstrated that He was a fighter for justice and for the humane treatment of people, including those that lived unrighteously. After all, our Heavenly Father is the Author of Justice. *See verses on Justice below.

As Christians, it serves as a reminder to us all that we can easily become so arrogant and comfortable in our "Christianity" that we unknowingly, (and sometimes knowingly) overlook our own deficits, prejudices and unforgiveness that have been deeply embedded in the crevices of our heart. None of us are exempt from the sinful inclination of mistreating others. Forgetting who we are in Christ and not understanding the heart of God can lead us to behave like the world when we've been called to love ALL people.

That requires us to challenge ourselves by checking our hearts and our actions. It's easy to love those that look like us and those that we feel comfortable loving. But how are we any different from the rest of the world if we choose to only love people that we deem lovable? (Matthew 5:46-48). We must always evaluate our hearts by being honest with ourselves. Are we really demonstrating the love of Christ? Sure, we give plenty of lip service to the idea of love but are we reflecting God's love in action? God expects us to always work towards eradicating anything in our hearts that doesn't reflect Him and His word. That means we must humble ourselves and continuously ask God to reveal anything in our hearts that oppose His ways. 

We're responsible for our own spiritual condition, including the condition of our hearts. God also holds us accountable for how we treat people, even when we're behind closed doors. God's bottom line is always PEOPLE. If we're His representatives in the Earth, He expects us to be His hands, feet, voice and heart everywhere we go. If no one else is looking, God is. And He encourages us to always be found "blameless and harmless children of God...in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world." (Philippians 2:15)

⭐ Verses & Footnotes:

"If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate." - 1 Corinthians 13:1 (MSG)

'And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul (life), and with all your mind (thought, understanding), and with all your strength.’ This is the second: ‘You shall [unselfishly] love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.' - Mark 12:30-31 (AMP)

The key to understanding this and other statements about love is to know that this love (the Greek word agape) is not so much a matter of emotion as it is of doing things for the benefit of another person, that is, having an unselfish concern for another and a willingness to seek the best for another.(Biblegateway.com)

Justice: Psalm 106:3, Leviticus 19:15, Psalm 99:4, Isaiah 61:8, Isaiah 1:17, Luke 18:7...and many more.

#HeartCheck #Humanity #Love #Justice #Love #People