03-06-24

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
March 6, 2024
What does it mean to trust love? What does it mean for those who follow the ways of Jesus, the one who painted for us a picture of God’s love with his life? Love is one of those funny things, as it is a word that interacts with a plethora of possibilities. And it is defined on a personal level through the lens of our distinctive experience. It is hard to trust love when there are those who claim to love you but constantly hurt you. Whether it was a person who experienced abuse as a child from the very people who were supposed to show love, even using that word amidst the abuse. Or the person whose spouse or significant other used physical or emotional abuse in the context of the relationship while somehow explaining it as a necessity of love. Or the person who attended a church where the love of God was spoken of with beautiful and extravagant language, yet God was also depicted as angry, always ready to unleash wrath at even the slightest wrongdoing, or the church leadership held people's sense of self-worth in a constant state of uncertainty as a way of manipulation. I must always keep this in mind when I, as a pastor, speak of love, for though there may be many who yearn for a new and life-giving definition of love, their experiences have left them cynical at best. The way we see the world around us, especially something as important as love, is entirely shaped by our experiences, and the church must constantly acknowledge the injury brought upon people who have encountered control, violence, belittling, or exploitation all in the name of love. Each Sunday, I must remember that my joyful and hope-filled declaration of a God whose love is unconditional and healing is going to be met with uncertain or outright disbelief by some. For that reason, we must always be mindful of making sure what we say matches what we are doing… at least to the best of our ability.

Jesus spoke powerfully about love and then matched his words with his actions, yet he seemed to be both patient and trusting of its power to bring a life toward wholeness. Continue to grow in me an understanding of your love, Amazing God, while also understanding the context in which I live and the painful experiences of many who I encounter. Amen.