Compelled to Love

Year 6-Day 50: Today, I am grateful we can be compelled to love.

As human, we have many differences. We come from many different backgrounds that impact who we are and how we behave. Cultural norms, socio-economic influences and our families of origins are a part of who we see in the mirror. 

Just because something is the norm or culturally acceptable, does not make it good and right. We are called to new life when we choose Christ. That choice means some will view you as crazy. Hopefully, it is for the crazy love of Christ that changes everything. 

"Some people will not understand what the love of Christ compels you to do; do it anyway. - Sheila Walsh 

Note the semicolon. Pause, reflect and do it anyway. 

Someone once noted that Jesus spent most of his time with the very people others tried to ignore and avoid. The poor, the sick, the shady, the promiscuous, the annoyingly arrogant and those defeated by life.  They all needed to be saved from something and grace applied to their lives. Jesus profoundly deep love for humans did not interrupt his plans; it was His plan.(Could not resist the semicolon.)

When we are truly walking "The Way", it interrupts our well planned lives. It might look crazy to onlookers, but as Mama Ina Mae would say, "That's okay." His love compels and propels us to alter our days. 

"Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us." -1 John 4:11-12 (NLT) 

Francis Chan wrote a book called Crazy Love. It is challenging to those who naturally crave living in the "safety zone", and I am a "safety girl". Sometimes, when the Spirit whispers go... I am resistant. I hear my  Earworm singing the old song in my head, "Please Mr. Custer... I don't wanna go." Except it is not General Custer I am attempting to ignore... it is God leading. How many times have I ignored the prompting that would plant or water a seed of truth? I don't think I want to know the answer. Still... his word tells us this: 

"But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us."

Expressing love to others brings the God seeds of love in us to life. Love grows and blooms. We no longer need labels or to differentiate. Such things don't matter anymore. It isn't about where we come from, race, sex or bank account... we are brothers and sisters in Christ. 

"There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus." -Galatians 3:8 

"In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us." -Colossians 3:11

We are one. We are family. Yes, he compels and propels us to love more than we believed we could. When we plug into the true power source, we need not worry love will run out. Just as earthly parents love to see children living in harmony, so does our heavenly father. 

Today, I am grateful we can be compelled to love.