Saturday, December 15, 2007

i've been meaning to quote this for a while now ...

"Jesus said that our foremost sign of discipleship would be our love for one another. 'A new command I give you: Love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another' (John 13:34-35). His teaching is unequivocal here. We would be known as his followers not because we are chaste, celibate, honest, sober or respectable; not because we are church-going, Bible-toting, or Psalm-singing. Rather we would be recognized as disciples primarily by our deep and delicate respect for one another, our cordial love impregnanted with reverence for the sacred dimention of the human personality." - Brennan Manning (emphasis mine)

Am I known "by my love"? Are we, "Christians", known this way? Oh, I know we follow the letter of the law - we're really good at keeping score of what we do & don't do, but doesn't that sort of leave you feeling like we're missing something very, very important? It leaves me that way. Maybe there's something more important than keeping score... maybe Jesus wasn't kidding when he said those things. You know, in all his teaching, he doesn't actually "command" anything but this... that we love one another.

How are we doing? I think it just may be a life or death question...

6 comments:

Annie said...

It's so much easier to tick off boxes of "to do" things so it makes sense (in my backwards logic) that the greatest command would also be the hardest. This way it's to His glory. I have a hard time balancing the love one another and guard your heart thing though. For me, if I love freely, I don't feel very guarded, ya know?

Sarah said...

Strange how seeing our scorecards would not be as compelling to the world as seeing lives of love. Heh. Seems the first removes value from those who are watching, while the latter adds it to them. And yet I agree...the former is certainly easier and much less risky. If only we could see better the impotence of those risks and love with the full freedom that was bought for us...

111 said...

ah, i miss you girls.

Annie said...

Miss you too!!

Anonymous said...

Keeping score is far to prevalent in our society. I only wish that I could be known for my love. We are so far from being Disciples of Christ it isn't even funny. Very good point that you have made my dear.

Marilyn said...

This is why I love Brennan Manning. He is a rough, cigarette smoking, ragged guy who understands that love is a delicate web that is broken by casual carelessness everyday. Rae - you are doing love good right now.