Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Never Fails

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part,  but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.  When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.  For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 (NIV)

There is a war coming. Outside, it may appear that the war is with a religion.  That may be true, but my heart tells me something much less obvious.  The greater and perhaps more important war is not outside the church.  It is from within.  It is a battle for its soul.  There are those who believe the church has been lost for a long time.  I was one who believed that it was the answer to all of our problems, and this is something I still believe.  Bill Hybels has said that the local church is the hope of the world.  If that is true, then hope may indeed be fleeting.  We are not being that shining light as a beacon on a hill.  We have become too occupied with telling our outside world to conform or suffer God’s wrath.  Those both inside and outside the church have said we have not spread the gospel enough.  My concern?  It is none of those.  My concern is that we are not the loving people God would want us to be.  We are focused on greater understanding of the word and not living it.

If you doubt there is a war, you only need to breathe in what is happening in society today. There are those who firmly believe we need to build walls, and others who believe we need to open our arms wide open.  Some believe we need to protect our borders, and others believe we need to open them to those who may be persecuted.  I could continue to go up and down the list of ideas for each side.  I have prayed for understanding that God guide my steps and words today.  As I did, He helped me realize something.  There is only one sure thing that He has shown me throughout my life that holds true still today.  Love never fails.

It was love that drove Martin Luther King Jr. to peacefully march to stand through abuse, jail, and threats to his life to lead an entire race to have equality. In the closing of his final speech which foretold of his eventual death, he said these words:

Well, I don't know what will happen now; we've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter to with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life–longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain.  And I've looked over, and I've seen the Promised Land.  I may not get there with you.  But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. And so I'm happy tonight; I'm not worried about anything; I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

Forty years after his speech and subsequent death, an African American became President. It did not signify the end of discrimination or bigotry, but it meant that a person like me no longer had to be silent ever again.

It was love that changed my life’s trajectory. A man saw a skinny black teenager and felt he did not belong.  However after watching his grit and determination against all odds, the man’s view changed.  He said to this child, “Before I knew you, I would have nothing to do with you.  After watching you and getting to know you, I would be honored to have you in my home anytime you choose to come here.”  That moment changed both of their lives forever.

Finally, it was love shown even in the face of hate. A church in South Carolina has nine of its parishioners killed by a white supremacist.  At the hearing where he is arraigned, the grieving families speak of anger and pain.  However to the surprise of the world, they also show forgiveness.  Nadine Collier, daughter of one of the victims says to the killer, “I forgive you . . . I will never be able to hold (my mother) again, but I forgive you . . . If God forgives you, I forgive you.”  I went to that church later that year.  The moment I stepped in there, one understood right away why they could say those words with sincerity and conviction.


You see even in the face of hatred, love wins every time. It always has in my life.  If it has not in yours, then I challenge you because as a pastor taught me, The Bible is the greatest love story of all because it is about God’s love for you.  Through sin, He lost us, but through Jesus Christ, He said He wants us back.  Jeremiah 31:3 says, “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.  With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.”  So to those of you who will biblical or spiritually challenge me that we need to protect ourselves and our borders or ban refugees, I’m sorry to disappoint you.  I cannot nor will not be on your side.  You see?  Love never failed me or my people before.  I will not stand against it now.  It does not mean I will not pray for the President and it does not mean I do not wish him well.  It simply means my God has taught me to love even at the risk of my life, and I will love my brother even if he or she does not know my God.  My prayer is that each of you looks at yourselves and answer, “Does Jesus’ love ever fail?”  Do I love as Jesus loves me?  Amen.

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