There are certain things in life that I feel pretty safe to assume. When someone tells me they have a phone, I assume it is one of those “smart ones”. When I go online I feel safe to assume that the network we call the internet is a “world wide web”. I feel like both could go without saying. You have a phone and you search the web…no smart or world-wide clarification needed. In the same way I hope this is true about Christians.

When someone says Christian, I hope they are safe to assume a few things.

According to Matthew 5, I hope people can assume that these Christians are poor in spirt, meek, thirsty for righteousness, merciful, and peacemakers. I pray that when someone says “Yeah, you know Rodney is a Christian”. I hope they are associating all of those descriptors. In John 13:24 Jesus commands us to love one another just as he has loved us. In verse 35 he goes on to say “by this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

So what does love look like and how important is it?

Well 1 Corinthians 13 talks about it in pretty clear terms. The Apostle Paul writes in verses 1-3 that you can speak in the tongues of men and angels, possess prophetic powers, understand all mysteries and knowledge, have tons of faith, but if you do not have love it is pointless. In verses 4-8 he describes love. Paul says it is patient, kind, does not envy or boast, is not arrogant or rude, does not insist on it’s own way, is not irritable or resentful, does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. Love is a lot!

It is my prayer today that when the world says Christian that are forgoing the term “Loving Christian” because it is safe to assume that Christians are loving.

On Mission…#betweensundays

Rodney McClure