RANT WARNING: I’m beginning to believe I’ve lived some sort of sheltered existence… In these past few months I have learned more about the multitude of ways that we Christian can quibble with one another than I have in the entire rest of my life leading up to this time. Perhaps because I’ve spent most of my now 55 years standing way in the back or way up front or way off to the side singing, I’ve somehow been spared the more discouraging and disparaging side of my faith-walk.
Don’t get me wrong; I’ve been aware of the political aspects and attributes of organized religion and I’ve seen “followers” of His do things and act in ways that I’m pretty sure He would not appreciate, but only more recently have I come to understand the many ways we look past our shared values only to stumble about over the pettier aspects of human faith and frailty. Sure there are many things that divide us, but He seems to make it so clear in what you can look at as practically His dying wish, when He tells the disciples: “Love one another; as I have loved you” – John 13:34-35. Pretty simple really…
And this wasn’t the end of it… The Apostles seemed to understand that this was really important to Him. The Gospels continue making the same point over and over; in John 15:12: This is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you. And in John 15:17: These things I command you, that ye may love one another. Then in 1 John 3:11: For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another and again in 1 John 3:23: And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he gave us commandment; or 1 John 4:7: let us love one another: for love is of God; or 1 John 4:12: No man hath beheld God at any time: if we love one another, God abides in us, and his love is perfected in us; and similarly, the Second Epistle of John states in 2 John 5: not as though I wrote to thee a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
Then Paul reinforces this again in Romans 13:8: Owe no man anything, save to love one another: for he that loves his neighbor hath fulfilled the law; or 1 Thessalonians 4:9: … for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And Peter wasn’t going to sit silent with John and Paul making all the points: 1 Peter 1:22: … for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
Yes… I see the differences… between us… always have. But I’ve always been able to say to myself, that is for Him to decide; not me. I find it much easier to see our shared beliefs, our common cause and our mutual frailties. I can work with most anyone in His service. And in the end when we come to the gates and St. Peter welcomes us… we’ll enter one at a time. Perhaps we really need to focus more on what we want to do and less on who we are. We may never get agreement there… Sorry about the rant, but seems we just keep bumping into ourselves… I’m just say’n…
Why Eye Write 