Day 2670 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.

Romans 5:8 NIV

I look around at the way in which our world behaves, the way people treat one another, and this gross misconception of kindness and compassion and I can't help but wonder how we've managed to get it so wrong. I mean, we have the perfect example of what love ought to be, and yet, even with that exquisite definition, we've still managed to miss the mark completely. It's one of those things that just leaves you wondering if there's any chance of change or improvement because it seems that so many have simply settled in and adopted this new version of love.

My main issue is that there shouldn't be any room for complacency in love. But sadly, this world's version of love not only allots room for complacency, but it basically runs on it. People are only worried about making others feel good, and they think that's all that love requires. Hugs, smiles, pats on the back, some thumbs up, and a few high-fives. No hurting someone’s feelings. No saying what may be offensive to ears that love lies. No putting actual growth and improvement first. No worrying about what’s actually best for someone else. No concern about eternity or the condition of someone’s soul. No fear of encouraging someone to follow their deceitful hearts all the way to the gates of hell. No willingness to risk. No willingness to fight. No willingness to try.

But what I've been trying to get across over these last few days is that love isn't that simple or convenient. Sadly that's all that people seem to expect, and the fact that so many have that shallow expectation is in and of itself evidence of just how far we’ve gone in the wrong direction.

The truth is that love is messy. Sometimes it’s painful. Sometimes it comes across as harsh, and offensive, and mean, and uncaring. But the reality is that love relies on truth, and yeah, sometimes the truth hurts. So if the truth hurts, then telling someone that truth because you genuinely love them and want the best for them will hurt too. It hurts because it’s unwavering. It doesn't bend, doesn't give, doesn't run. Love doesn't seek the easiest path that only leads to comfort and peace. Love doesn't overlook wrongs or ignore dangers. Love isn't willing to settle or stop or sway. Love will absolutely never stop even if it means dragging someone across the finish line kicking and screaming the whole way because we know seeing them fail and fall short of Christ isn’t acceptable.

But we seem to have gotten so far from that pure version of love that I honestly don't know if we can make it back on a large scale. I legitimately think that most people are more than okay with settling for comfort and living to serve feelings and avoid offenses.

I want us to look at what this verse is teaching us about true love. God is love. He defines love. He perfects love. 1 John 4:7-8 tells us, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." And what do we have as evidence to look toward in order to understand God's definition and purpose for love? Christ. He sent Christ to find us, heal us, save us, forgive us, atone for us, and bring us back to Him. He sent Christ to die so that we could see how much we mean to Him. Christ Himself shed His blood and gave His life so that we could understand how much our salvation from sin and eternal torment means to Him.

And here's where the point I've been trying to make comes in. He sent Christ while we were still sinners. He chose to act out of love for a bunch of dirt-bags and scum-buckets and filthy heathens like us. We have each been lost in sin, choosing wickedness daily over the path of righteousness. Each of us have chosen to ignore God and tell Him and His way to take a hike and get out of our way and stop trying to hurt our feelings with that mean and hateful truth of His. But because He loves us, He refuses to completely give up on us, even when we're so lost that we don't know which way is up.

So He sent Christ to come and try to help a bunch of people who didn't want to be helped. And when we start wondering what kind of person would do that, then we start learning a little more about what love really ought to be. Then we start listening to what Jesus tells us, we start reading the Bible a bit more, and we may even give prayer a shot. And with each small step, we learn a little more about what love ought to be. And all the while, He's right there, patiently helping us find our way back to what He created and who He created us to be.

That's my point. He sent Christ to meet us where we were, but He never settled for leaving us there. That's where today's idea of love is completely wrong, horribly dangerous, and wholly unhelpful. Today people are so worried about hurting feelings or offending someone with the truth that they we're willing to settle for making them feel comfortable in their sins. They're willing to lie to people and tell them that they're enough, they're doing enough, they're good enough on their own right where they are and don't need to change a thing. They’ll let people stay in the dark so they don’t hurt their eyes by shining a light.

I for one and beyond thankful that Christ doesn't love us like that. I look back at the life I've lived and the choices I've made and the mistakes those choices have wrought, and I am thankful that He didn't leave me there. I'm thankful that I've gone through the changes, lost a lot of things, and learned to live and think differently. I'm thankful that I am not who I used to be, and the only, and I mean ONLY reason I can say that is because of God's love for me through Christ.

You see, that's what love really ought to be. It's something that is willing to meet a person where they are but will never settle for that being good enough. Love is something that hopes for the best and never stops working and encouraging and rebuking and teaching and helping until the best is reached. Love starts where someone is, but it will never stop there. Where we are is only the beginning, and love is what propels us forward toward something even better and will not consider an easier path.

So much of what people hear about love is come as you are. You're welcome here. God loves you. I love you. But if you think that a faithful kind of love will let you stay where you are, you're mistaken. God didn't settle for leaving us lost in sin. Out of His perfect love for us Christ came to pull us back and help us learn to fight to do better. Friends, our good enough will never be best. We settle too easily. We seek ease and comfort as they require less work and have smaller risk. But love is one thing that should never be scared to do what's hard because what's hard is what brings the most growth, the most healing, and the most opportunity.

We can't settle for putting feelings above improvement. We can't worry about offending someone, because honestly, sometimes we all need to be offended to figure out where we actually stand and so that we can hear the truth that we're all too willing to conveniently ignore. Love others like God loves us in Christ. Not afraid to hurt our feelings or call us out or expect more from us. Love wants only the best, and trust me, where we are is nowhere close to the best!

#LeaveNoSoulUntold