Two Parts

This post has two sections. I thought about doing two posts, but we can all handle a long one, right?

1) Where did we ever get the idea that any one experience typifies "true" faith? Why is it that some people look for a certain prayer, others look for a particular crisis, and still others look for provable actions? I admit that it's difficult to deny someone's faith after a dramatic crisis conversion. Yet Jesus Himself indicated that those whose faith is in Him would be those who would join Him in glory. I think of the thief on the cross next to Jesus's cross who acknowledged Jesus's lordship without the breakdown of "saved, healed, delivered." I also think of Matthew, who followed the Lord simply because he trusted Him when He said, "Follow me." Our theologies and doctrines are important, but when did they give us the right to judge a person's eternal soul? Any authority we have was given to us only by God and does not give us the right to shun and shame people.

2) One of the first things that made me stop and look at Natasha differently is her love. I've never seen anyone who really loves people like she does. Of course, we've learned a lot about love since we've been married, and particularly in the last year. We've seen a lot of what love is and even more of what love is not. There are many people whom we love around the world (mostly North America), many of whom exemplify love for us. The Scriptures say that love bears all things. That love never fails. That love covers a multitude of sins. What a joy it is when we see people who love freely with God's love in a way that bears with us, that does not fail, that keeps no record of wrongs, that is patient, that is kind, that covers a multitude of sins! At the same time, how hurtful it has been when we have faced people who did not bear with us, who keep a record of our wrongs, who are impatient, who focus on sin rather than the soul, who are unkind, and who seemingly failed us! (We've been dealing with a lot of that and have sought healing in our new surroundings.) In a time when I have been tempted many times to speak out boldly against those who do not love, the Lord has reminded me, "But for the grace of God, there go I." I am tempted to find fault among friends who aren't true, to be impatient with loved ones who are hurtful, to be unkind to those who seemingly don't care, to choose to stop bearing with people, and even to shift my circle of friends. I assume that the Lord's revelation precludes His warning not to be a hypocrite, reacting out of hurt and confusion for Natasha and me. Instead, I choose to love, to be real, to embrace the goodness and peace of the Lord, and to dive in headfirst to the imperfect, often frustrating congregation of the Church. After all, if we look through the screen of human imperfections, we begin to see that 1 Corinthians 12 is real when it says we are all the body of Christ. Why would I want to hurt the body of Christ? If I'm the foot, why would I want to kick my own shin? Why do so many members of the body do it?