I am an American. I awake each morning without any real fears. I go through each day in comfort. I complain about gas prices being too high, about the service at the fast food restaurant being to slow or my food being too cold. I get frustrated when my satellite goes out because of an evening storm or when Redbox is out of the movie I wanted to rent. I yell and scream at those around me who are driving like idiots, at least… in my opinion. I go throughout my week most of the time thinking only about myself, never pausing to stop and look around me. Never once thinking that there are others who are hurting, who are helpless, who need what I have. But, I am an American. I must have more money, more things. Yet, in any other country or any other culture, I would be rich. Yet, I am poor.
Meanwhile, across the globe, fellow believers wake up each morning to the sound of rooster’s crowing, gunshots being fired and people screaming. They go through their day experiencing nothing but pain and misery. Yet, you will never hear one complaint uttered from them. A smile will always be upon their face and they will always pause, stopping to look around them, stopping to look at others. Although they have absolutely nothing to give, they give of themselves. With a love that we cannot even begin to relate to, they give their all to meet the needs of those around them. They love as they have been loved. Many of these people are suffering or will suffer great persecution for this love. They boldly proclaim the story of their God and boldly face the rewards of their faith, accepting mocking, beatings, imprisonment and even death. Yet, they are happy. They never complain. They are rich.
We have all heard the stories of the great men and women who have chosen to pick up their cross and follow Christ. We have all stepped back in awe of the magnitude of their great faith. Many of us have even shed tears as we read the gut-wrenching stories of how they gave up their life because of their love for God. Then we get up and walk back into our busy lives, unchanged. What is it about the faith of the “People of the Way” that we are lacking? How can they have so little, suffer so much and yet be so happy and love so great?
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have PEACE. In the world you WILL have TRIBULATION. But take heart; I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.” John 16:33 (ESV)
These words were spoken by the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Hours later, he hung upon a cross and gave up his life. Through his death, he overcame the world, empowering us to go and do the same. Every day we can live our lives for ourselves or we can live a life of love for others. Stop, look around you. People are hurting, they are searching, they are miserable. God has given us, as His children, a message of healing, hope, satisfaction and love. We cannot change anyone. We cannot break their hearts. We can only love them. Oh, our love will be rejected and maybe, just maybe, this rejection will be the best thing for our faith. But on occasion, as it was for you and I, this love will be accepted. As we see this love accepted and another soul brought to Christ, we will realize how those who have so little and suffer so much can rejoice in their God and love no matter the cost. Today, choose to love.
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
1 John 4:16-21 (ESV)
