Okay, I think I can now better understand why the Israelites went wrong in their self-generated attempts to obey God. My family has been working on this Love Dare thing. I've written up several of my own experiences, but others in my house are quietly taking the Dare as well. It's been a good thing. Tonight, however, a good thing turned bad.
It started innocently enough. A simple supper-table request. "May I have the milk please?" But before the milk was passed, the one passing it said, "Let me fill my glass first," which brought an immediate response. "You can't practice the Love Dare and fill your own glass first!" Then, a third person felt compelled to point out to the accuser that "You can't practice the Love Dare while accusing someone else of not practicing the Love Dare." Which led to an immediate counter-charge, "And YOU can't practice the Love Dare while accusing someone else of not practicing the Love Dare either!" Well, you get the idea. In a period of about 10 seconds, we were all accusing one another of malpractice with regard to loving one another. It was no longer about loving one another, it was about someone else loving me properly! In 10 seconds time, we all went from being other focused to being self-focused!
Now, just to be clear, our supper table conversation was all said in fun. Nobody was actually angry. But it made for a good parody of a very human problem. My thinking (and don't fool yourself into thinking yours is any different), if left to itself, always comes back to "me" and whether "I" am being treated rightly or fairly or honestly or as generously as someone else. If someone else has an advantage, I want it too, and I'd prefer to get it before he does!
I'm really beginning to appreciate how much I (we) need to change before I (we) can be like Jesus and before I (we) can love like Jesus. He loved us "while we were yet sinners" (Romans 5:8). "While we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son" (Romans 5:10). "While we were still weak (self-serving, self-focused, etc.)... Christ died for the ungodly" (Romans 5:6). That's different than how I love people. Or, at least, it's different than my default mode which seems to be attached only to my wants, my hopes, my dreams.
But here's the good news. Two things really. First, "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). I can learn to love people like God does because His love is in me! Loving others like God does is not a matter of human ability, it's a matter of God taking the initiative to enable us to love others as He does. The ability is merely awaiting our willingness and our submission to the Holy Spirit's leading. Second, our self-inflicted weakness in loving people like God does is only temporary. "We WILL be like [Jesus]," 1 John 3:2 says. That day is coming!
Based on our supper conversation, I'd say that day has not yet arrived at our house. But Jesus is here. I see His characteristics showing up in Karen and in Matt and in Laura. I even see them in me from time to time. So I'm optimistic. That day is coming. I'm going to be like Him. We're all going to be like Him, as we hold on to our faith in His transforming power. And on that day, none of us will care who gets the milk first!
Now, just to be clear, our supper table conversation was all said in fun. Nobody was actually angry. But it made for a good parody of a very human problem. My thinking (and don't fool yourself into thinking yours is any different), if left to itself, always comes back to "me" and whether "I" am being treated rightly or fairly or honestly or as generously as someone else. If someone else has an advantage, I want it too, and I'd prefer to get it before he does!
I'm really beginning to appreciate how much I (we) need to change before I (we) can be like Jesus and before I (we) can love like Jesus. He loved us "while we were yet sinners" (Romans 5:8). "While we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son" (Romans 5:10). "While we were still weak (self-serving, self-focused, etc.)... Christ died for the ungodly" (Romans 5:6). That's different than how I love people. Or, at least, it's different than my default mode which seems to be attached only to my wants, my hopes, my dreams.
But here's the good news. Two things really. First, "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). I can learn to love people like God does because His love is in me! Loving others like God does is not a matter of human ability, it's a matter of God taking the initiative to enable us to love others as He does. The ability is merely awaiting our willingness and our submission to the Holy Spirit's leading. Second, our self-inflicted weakness in loving people like God does is only temporary. "We WILL be like [Jesus]," 1 John 3:2 says. That day is coming!Based on our supper conversation, I'd say that day has not yet arrived at our house. But Jesus is here. I see His characteristics showing up in Karen and in Matt and in Laura. I even see them in me from time to time. So I'm optimistic. That day is coming. I'm going to be like Him. We're all going to be like Him, as we hold on to our faith in His transforming power. And on that day, none of us will care who gets the milk first!
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