This month I'd like to look at another side of the same topic I've been discussing in my recent letters: "Loving people as a measure of how much you love God." As you are probably aware by now this revelation (or line of thinking) has radically affected every area of my relationship with God. I pray that as I have been stretched, you have been stretched a little bit too. What I'd like to talk about is not letting this concept drive you to a point where "loving people" flows from you in the form of a "works" mentality.
Recently I saw a really cool skit that might paint a picture of what I'm talking about. In the skit there were two demons. One was a sales manager and the other was a "salesdemon" (Which is really what demons are -- they try to sell you a thought, but it's up to you whether you buy it.) The salesdemon was "freaking out" because he was about to lose a client. He was asking the manager what he should do to fix the situation. The manager told him to get the client caught up in doing more for God by telling him that God wasn't pleased because he wasn't doing enough. The salesdemon replied, "That's the problem: I did that, but somehow he heard that the enemy (God) had said that ‘salvation came by grace through faith ...not of works.'" The manager replied, "Oh no, you can't let that happen. If he begins to believe that then he could start to use his faith, and if he starts to do that we've lost him for sure. You'd better get back out there a lean real hard on the works thing so he doesn't figure it out."
I love the way the New Living Translation says it in Ephesians 2:8,9:
" God saved you by His special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it."
In 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 Paul expresses a fear that the people of the church at Corinth could be deceived as the serpent tricked Eve by his craftiness, by corrupting their minds from the simplicity that is in Christ. I can think of few things more "crafty" than turning the act of loving people into something that you feel obligated to do rather than being the outflow your life. I know I've said this before but it bears repeating: We would do ourselves great good if we'd cry out to God to give us the heart of his sheep (Matthew 25). The "sheep" were the ones with a firm grip on the love and the grace of God flowing in their lives. Yet the "goats" are a picture of those trying to earn their salvation through their works. They never really grasp that "by grace are we saved through faith, not by works lest any man should boast." This can be really challenging to those who are in ministry (or those who know they're called to the ministry.) I'm sad to say that I know this firsthand. Until maybe six months ago I was more concerned with being obedient to God in my calling than I was in the purpose of His calling, which is: "To love people for Him...being His representative to people." Don't misunderstand me -- I loved people, but all too often because it was part of "the calling," part of being obedient to God. It just hadn't fully become a matter of my heart yet. Now, I'd rather love and reach out to people than be noticed by anyone at all. I want to preach, in fact I love to preach, but now I love to take time and simply love. Just to be real and shine His light in and on people's lives.
We often miss it because we think the "spiritual" people are those who preach "like a house on fire" and see thousands saved, healed and filled with the Holy Ghost. Yet we fail to even recognize those who go through life "internationally unknown" and are simply consistent, and who want to "just" love Jesus and love people, without recognition. These are the ones who truly have a grip on God's grace and love; these are "the sheep." Most often these are the truly "spiritual" ones. My next door neighbor is one of these. I have borrowed tools, enlisted his expertise on the computer, and detained him in the driveway talking many times. In retrospect I know at times my timing has been less than convenient, yet he has never failed to oblige me, never tried to charge me a fee, nor has he ever been short with me. This is a man who I am sure fits the category of "sheep." His works simply flow from a heart full of the love of God.
The simplicity of the gospel and the simplicity of his grace are this, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind...and you shall love your neighbor as yourself." If this is at the core of your being then the heart of the ''sheep'' is also. Let's just love God by loving people, even the "challenging" people. I love you all and thank you for allowing me to speak into you lives every month.
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