And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.
Matthew 24:12 (ESV)
Our world is continuing its journey of descent into lawlessness. Little by little we are pulled further along the path toward lawlessness. You can see it every day when you read or listen to the news. You can see it both locally, regionally, nationally, and on a global scale. We are all offended at the notion of our descent, and we all want to point the finger and shift the blame to some person or group of people that we deem inferior or antagonistic. We rarely look in the mirror and see our own responsibility with the daily decisions we make. Each choice we make that is not rooted in love is a step further along the path of lawlessness. The further we walk down the path the more our love grows cold. The more our love grows cold, the more we embrace lawlessness. Until one day we wake up and see how distant we are from the pure love of Christ.
It worries me at times how strong the desire for lawlessness is in my heart. There is a constant and persistent noise of lawlessness and a cold love screaming at me at every moment. There is seemingly no end to the people and groups of people that I am being told are wrong and lawless. I feel this pervasive wave of cold callousness in the voices to divide the world into my enemies. They want me to see that there are people who think and believe like me, people I should identify and defend no matter what; they want me to see that there are people who don’t think and believe like me, people I should hate and despise no matter what. They want my love to grow cold as lawlessness increases.
This is not the warm love of Christ for all people. Is there right or wrong? Absolutely, but it is not a matter of my preferences being right or wrong. It is not a matter of my politics being right or wrong. It is not a matter of what drives my fear making it right or wrong. Christ is the only thing and everything. It is Him alone that feeds and nourishes my love for all people and nations. Not just some of the people. Not just some of the nations. Not just the ones who agree with me. All the people and all the nations.
One of the things that Jesus has been working in my heart over the last five years is the understanding that I can have love for people who are against me and everything I believe. Meaning, that I can love my enemies. The key in this for me these past few years is learning what it means to love someone. I mean truly love someone. To love someone so much that you allow them to be themselves. To love someone so much, that you are patient and kind. That you allow them to grow in their understanding of the love that Christ has for them. Even if it means that they hate Christ at this moment and by extension hate you and everything you believe in. This is obviously difficult.
Yet, Jesus calls me to the same kind of steadfast, patient, and kind love that he has for me. You see, I am ignorant, arrogant, cold, and lawless toward my Savior way to often in my life. Even though I love and follow him, I can and often do choose actions that an enemy of Christ would make. I choose lawlessness. Jesus doesn’t abandon me. He doesn’t just go on a tirade against me. He draws me back to himself. He is gentle and kind to me. He is patient and caring. He is love. And when I repent and turn back to him, he forgives. Again and again and again.
So how do I keep from lawless and seeing my heart grow cold? It is only by the deep love of Christ for me that makes this possible. As I immerse myself in his perfect love for me and I swim in the depths of his mercy and grace, I am filled with his Spirit of love. It is the fullness of the Spirit that enables and compels me to love others. It is the Spirit of Christ within me that teaches me to love as Jesus loves. To see all peoples and nations not as groups, but as individuals. To see them as they truly are, human beings fashioned by the hand of God. That each and every person is special and unique. Each and every person needs to be loved and feel loved. I often only get one opportunity to share the love of Christ with someone. Am I going to use that moment to withhold the love and kindness of Christ because of ideological beliefs or am I going to engage with this person on a personal heart level to let them see and witness the love of Christ that has filled my heart and is now overflowing into their presence? I choose this path of humble faith and trust in my beautiful Savior.