Love and Hope

Well, spring is upon us and with it warmer temperatures have arrived, birds are chirping in the trees, and everyone is wearing shorts...somewhere other than here.  I walked outside yesterday and the "warm spring breeze" made me reach for my coat.  But even though the temperatures are still somewhat frigid (snow is predicted where I live for tomorrow), there is a psychological component at work here.  There is a hope that accompanies the change of seasons and summer really doesn't feel as far away as it did a few days ago.  Ahhh, the world of illusion...

There's something to be said for hope, isn't there?  There's a positive attribute to the mindset that clings to the motto of "This too shall pass..." This mindset addresses far more than simply the weather, doesn't it?  Today, I don't know if I've ever seen American culture more in need of hope.  As a nation, there is an overriding paranoia, a quiet desperation, where people have convinced themselves that hope is gone and the only rational option left is fear.  It's almost palpable, carrying a contagious tangibility that seems to be permeating every level of our society from politics and finances (both personal and global) to sports, recreation, and yes, even "religion".  In the past few years, there has been a dramatic shift in American culture towards declaring a "religiously unaffiliated" status; in fact, the current percentage of U.S. citizens claiming this status is about 16% of the adult population.  Now this is not to say that this entire group claim no belief in God; in fact, almost 12% claim a belief in Him...they simply are not affiliating themselves with any "religion" in particular (www.http://religions.pewforum.org/reports).  When I see statistics like these I find myself asking the question, "Why?  Why are people distancing themselves from anything that might bind them to an organized affiliation...to a particular church?"  Specifically, I have to ask, "Why are people distancing themselves from Christ's church...His empowered body left here on earth to spread His Truth and love?  The answers to this question are various and would require a ridiculous amount of time that you would be better off researching on your own.  The short answers I think are found in two particular sets of Scripture...

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence   whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. (1 John 3:16-20)

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:15-16)

What are these two verses talking about?  Love and hope.  What are the biggest complaints that people have about the church?  You guessed it, “The church is full of unfriendly hypocrites and I don’t get anything out of it!”  Sadly, these accusations are too often correct.  This perception of the church is only encouraged because too many of us who know the truth of Jesus have no ability, and even more sadly, no real desire to relate that truth in any way that makes sense to “unaffiliated” people…in any way that conveys hope.  Now, don’t hear me saying that the church should start catering to the modern consumer mindset by changing the message of Jesus; but too often I think that we act as if Jesus chose truth over love and we've convinced ourselves that we are okay in choosing one over the other today.  Jesus was ALL truth and ALL love and He empowered His church to live in the same way, breathing light and life into culture, through a healthy communication of loving truth.  His church is to be a messenger of truth and the method that He gave us to spread His “Good News” should be using love and hope-filled words and actions.  Period.

So this week, as we very quickly approach Easter, I want to encourage you to embrace this idea…this hope-filled message of love and truth.  I want to encourage you as each day begins to spend a moment praying that God would fill you with a boldness to live a faith that is applicable and real.  People want to be part of something significant…they want to be part of something that actually could change their lives and their perspectives on the future.  I want you to hold onto that “hope that you have”…living it out in a way that points people towards Jesus, not farther away.  May this week be filled with personal encounters of love and hope, encouraging you and others that we all can hold a place in His bright future.