Freedom to Love

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I’ve been talking a lot about what it should look like to be a Christ-follower in this day and age. It’s no secret that I’ve been grieved over our behavior in recent times. I’ve had to check my own heart in all of this, and still have a ways to go.

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1


Christ gave His whole LIFE. Can we not sacrifice the ugly, selfish, accusing words that come out of our mouths, or onto the computer screen? We often disguise our words with a cloak of well-meaning, but our hearts know when our words contain venom.


“You have been set apart as holy to the Lord your God, and he has chosen you from all the nations of the earth to be his own special treasure.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭14:2‬ ‭NLT‬‬


Being set apart means we should look different than anyone expects us to. Love when it doesn’t seem to make sense. Some say all we need to do is love each other, and everything will be okay. Well, you and I know it’s not that easy...especially when someone is so different from us, or is even offensive in our minds. 


The truth is, we can’t just hug it out. We can’t just shout “let’s love each other” and expect everything to be okay. Love is an action word, and sometimes requires doing the opposite of what we feel. Sometimes it means fighting for or next to someone. 


It’s easy to love others when we “feel” positively toward them, but what about when we don’t? Oh, man is that hard for me! 


When a person does something to offend me, hurt me, or I just think they are a bad person, I tend to desire for them to feel my wrath. Sometimes I just want to see how God is going to punish them. You know what I mean? It’s the ugly truth.


Exodus 34:5-7 talks about how God is a compassionate and loving God, and it also says that He does not excuse the guilty. That means we are free from the responsibility of condemning others! We are free to actively love and let our Creator handle the judgment and condemnation.


Let’s take hold of the freedom that we have been offered, and love without boundaries.

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