Love Unexpectedly

This is actually an old note that i found...that has absolutely nothing to do with Cairo...BUT i didn't want to lose it and thought it was worth sharing. So here we are. My apologies for the random post.

“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”- Romans 12:4-5

Interesting isn’t it? Think about this for a moment. Now you could interpret this in a few different ways but let me point out just one. We are ONE BODY…meaning we are meant to WORK TOGETHER. We may work in different ways but whatever we do is to be for the BENEFIT of the ONE BODY. I know that seems like something that has been preached over and over but lately i've really struggled with the realization that I haven't quite got this idea full through my head yet.

We as Christians are called to:

1. Love one another ---John 13:34-35
2. Love unexpectedly---Matt 5:46
3. LOVE.

We are called as Christians to be the hands and feet of Christ. We are a part of the ONE BODY of Christ with the mission of spreading the amazing news we have to others. But far too often, I miss that call. I hear it. But I'm not listening.

There’s a quote I rather like that says: “you may be the only Bible that some people ever read”. Mull that over will you? YOU may be the ONLY BIBLE that some people EVER read. It is incredible and terrifying. We have been called to  live a life in which we are acting out the will of God. Did you catch that? Yeah, that’s what we signed up for.

So what am I getting at?

1. We are one body who is supposed to work in a way that is beneficial for the whole.
2. We are the hands and feet of God and thus our actions should reflect that

Not in every case, but in many, Christians (myself included) have not stepped up to the task. When people are living through everything that is wrong in the world, God wants to meet. But so often, God works through us. So, while it may seem obvious and simple, we need to remember what we are being called to do: Love. Love unexpectedly. Love the way Christ loved us. Matthew 5:46 says “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?” We are to love UNEXPECTEDLY. Love when no one else will. It’s not always easy and it’s bound to be frightening from time to time but God will see us through as we love others to Him. THAT is what is beneficial for the whole. Loving others into the light of Christ.

I have watched hearts crushed and turned away based on the inability on the part of the body of Christ to match actions to words. It is heart wrenching to watch people looking away from Christ based on the actions of His followers. And yet, it happens all the time.

So, in the end, I guess this is just a simple reminder to myself and whoever else happens to stumble upon it...


Love. Love joyfully, love abundantly, love unexpectedly.
People need it. We all need it.

1 John 4:19