The CBS News program airs a segment every Friday called “On The Road.” Steve Hartman tells stories that move us with their reminder of our shared humanity. Last week’s story was about Mo Riles from South Bend, IN who drove a badly damaged pickup truck around town, the butt of jokes and memes on social media until one man changed the story!
Colin Crowel contacted Riles and found out it was the only transportation the man had and he couldn’t afford anything else, so this compassionate man started a crowd-funding effort that ultimately raised $22,000 from Riles town to buy him a better car! (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/his-mangled-truck-became-a-local-spectacle-then-a-stranger-changed-everything/)
Christian, is your heart a BIG one, full to over-flowing with God’s love so that you spill caring and love onto others wherever you go?
In spite of stories like the one that started this CoffeeBreak there is a HUGE compassion deficit in the world today. We can disappear behind the walls of our homes and forget about those who are in need. We can depersonalize those who are ‘different’ from us in one way or another and blame them for society’s ills. But that is not God’s way.
Bible includes a little personal letter that Paul wrote on behalf of a runaway slave, Onesimus, to his former owner, Philemon. Philemon had become a Christian as result of Paul’s ministry in Colossae. The apostle had moved on and was a prisoner in Rome when somehow the runaway slave found him and became a convert, too!
It was time to make things right, so Onesimus is going to go back to Philemon’s household. The choice is not an easy one. Punishment for runaways was generally severe. So, Paul intercedes, asking for mercy.
“I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people. That is why I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do. But because of our love, I prefer simply to ask you. Consider this as a request from me—Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus. I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus. I became his father in the faith while here in prison. Onesimus hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us. I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart.” (Philemon)
History does not give us any hint of how things turned out, but I believe that the very fact that Paul’s personal letter is part of our Bible is that the appeal to mercy over justice was heeded and became a model for relationships within the Church of Jesus.
Do you find
yourself a critic of others?
Are you quick to condemn that one who has failed in some way?
Do you judge (perhaps secretly) those who struggle with life as weak or
inferior in some way?
The Way of Jesus is to be radically different.
John asks us plainly – “If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?” (1 John 4)
This love to which we are called is not easy nor natural. It requires sacrifice of us for it modeled on the love of Jesus who ‘demonstrates His love for us in this – that He for us while we were still sinners.’ (Romans 5) Even when we were going our own way, serving our own desires, He loved us and gave Himself to restore us to our Creator Father.
This love to which we are called is supernatural, Spirit-fed and flows from the inside out. John says “We love each other because he loved us first.” (1 John 4) In faith, contemplate the Cross of Christ. Face your own failures and broken places without excuse and then let the whisper of the Spirit remind you that you are forgiven, loved, and a ‘becomer’ who is being made over into the beauty of Christ Jesus.
Religion
alone will not cause us to love radically.
Mere human compassion is not sufficient to overcome our pride and prejudice.
But God’s love for us can; yes, it will- make us into those who love deeply, give generously of ourselves, as we become known as ‘children of God.’
One of the great truths that transforms is this – “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3) That love, when truly experienced, will make us great-hearted people of compassion.
The word from the Word is a challenge to us who live in a very polarized, hate-filled environment. May the Spirit make these living Words for us today.
“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3)
Let God love you to life, then let Him use YOU to love others in the same way.
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Video of this blog
https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55
