Today, I just happened to listen to the final track on the Jars
of Clay album, “The Shelter”, I had
purchased a few weeks ago.
The song was called “Benediction” and the first two lines took me
by surprise.
“Go into
the world
Showing how much He loves you”
Why the surprise, you ask?
Well I guess I mostly think of the
Great Commission as going into the world to show others how much Jesus loves them.
This is true enough, of course, but there was a subtle difference
in the way this song writer put it – show how much He loves you.
Not the guy next to you – you.
Not the people you’re ministering to – you.
Not your Pastor, best friend, parent,
sibling, or the lady who seems to have it all together – you.
Not even the drug
addict or the prostitute – you.
Of course Jesus loves all those people too, but at the moment,
that’s not the point.
We ( and by we I mean me) can get so caught up in trying to serve
others, defend our faith or just “save the world” in general, that we ( I)
often have “a tendency to forget to tend
to me”.
“We love Him because
He first loved us. 1 John 4:19”
This is not about being self-centered – far from it, it is about
being Jesus-centered and dwelling on His love for us. This fills our tank. This
renews us.
In the Gospels, John is called “the Beloved Disciple”.
It is often said that it was not because Jesus loved him more
than the other disciples (which is obvious) but rather that John understood better than the others just how much Jesus loved him... and each of them.
It is in this understanding of the “deep, deep love of Jesus” for
us as individuals that we will be strengthened , motivated and empowered in our own lives and then to
minister to others. Not to mention being more effective in that ministry.
It is also by this understanding that others will began to see
the real Jesus – not someone we’re propagating but someone we are sharing…
sharing because we cannot help but share out of the over abundance of His love
for us (you).
Of course if your focus is first on your personal relationship
with Christ and understanding this love for you, you (I) will tend to play the
hypocrite much less and there will tend to be a real air of genuineness and
authenticity of love about you – and that , I find, is what people are truly craving
for these days.
Genuine, unconditional, unending love.
First learn to understand, believe in and revel in what you have been given... then share it with others.
Though I speak with
the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding
brass or a clanging cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and
understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so
that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
And though I bestow
all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
