John 15:9-17
9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. 12 "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17 I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.
Reflection
Love one another... we're all so different. I reflect on the times that I take our dog Barney to the dog park. He is a pro at loving and freindship. He runs up towards another dog and doesn't pick the ones just like himself. Nope ol Barney just picks pretty much the first dog he comes to and greets with such excitement that perhaps the two or more of them run off in joy. If the dog is apprehensive, Barney just moves on. Maybe he will be back to play later. Barney makes this whole love and friendship thing look so easy!
But for me...
It's all so overwhelming. Just look at your Facebook feed. Reflect on the news of the day. Think about all of the people you have neglected, hated or even separated yourself from due to your own opinions, judgments or differences. All of this love stuff is so overwhelming.
How can I be so lovey dovey in a world that sins against me as I sin against it?
Jesus' command to love one another just seems to be a stretch. I see Democrats that sure don't reflect love towards Republicans and vice versa. I see hate towards Muslims, Mexicans, Whites, Blacks, North Koreans, Russians, Jews... the list goes on and on and on...
How do I reconcile the passage above when I know I'm guilty on one level or another? How do I approach this command of Jesus?
In my imperfection and sinfulness; I guess the only thing to do is start somewhere. Start with friendship. Jesus mentions "friend" over and over. How can Jesus claim me as his friend when I crucify him and kill him in my sin? Yet he does. So this friendship idea must be some clue to follow for me to begin to love one another. But... to make friends with all those I mention above seems so overwhelming. And to top it off... why do I want to go make friends with people that I don't agree with, people I'm uncomfortable with, or even people that seem so different and foreign to me?
But... Jesus is giving these commands so that I may love another.
So here goes... make some friends. Discover our differences... but even more so.... see how much I'm alike and celebrate our friendship... even with those Republicans, Democrats, Muslims, Blacks, Whites, Mexicans, Russians, North Koreans or whatever wonderful differences God has created in all of his creation.
I have a notion that this friendship thing that Jesus commands is just the trick towards loving one another.
I'm sure I'll confess, forgive and be forgiven and discover so much more that I could ever imagine.
Thanks be to God!
Prayer
Lord, thanks for claiming me as your friend. As I endeavor in the friendship thing, guide me and use me and forgive me when I mess it up. Be with me when I'm afraid and use my words as words of love and understanding that we all are your children created to love one another... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
