Categories: Love, Brotherly Love, Love of Approbation

Note: I posted this on July 17th, 2007 on the blog maintained by my church. I liked it so well that I figured I'd share it here.

Esteemed Pastor Chris,

Judging by the time of your post, it might be time for you to go to bed, rather than start blogging! ;-)

I’ve been told to keep my posts shorter (to protect Jason’s privacy, I won’t tell you who asked me to do that.)

I submit to all of you that we are in the midst of a revival at Celebration Center. I’ve never seen so many people at one church who are interested in doing so much to further the Kingdom of Heaven.

WITH GROWTH COMES CHALLENGES

I think the next challenge we’re going to be faced with, is that we’re going to have to love some people that aren’t like us. Acts 2:47 says, “the Lord added to their number daily, those who were being saved,” implying that God is going to put whomever he wants in our church.

Well guess what? He wants to save every person – not just the ones that look, act, and talk like you (or me).

I’ve seen this before in churches, so get ready – sometimes God adds people that flat out annoy you! You’ve been warned. We’re going to get some kids that don’t have good manners and didn’t grow up in church, so they don’t know how to act. And it’s going to bother some people when they see kids running wild around the church.

We’re going to get some people that are not in your socio-economic class. We’re going to get single mothers, who certainly are not as affluent as most people on South Hill. We might get some mentally retarded or even mentally ill.

Whatever they look like or act like, they will be God’s people and you will have to love them with brotherly love and the love of approbation (approval), because they belong to God just as much as you do.

Trust me, I’ve seen churches struggle with this stuff, so get ready to learn to love like God does. Jesus says:

And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:47-48

God requires us to love people in an uncommon way. We have to love those that are not easy for us to love. This is especially true of loving those that are in the faith; you doubly need to love them.

I can tell you that nothing will stop a move of God faster than for the Church to treat a brother without love. It will crush the heart of God and grieve away his Spirit.

But you’re saying, “John, I don’t any feelings for other types of people.” Not to worry, love is a choice of the will. If you obey God and choose to love people that aren’t like you and act upon it; soon your emotions will come in line with your will and you will be overwhelmed with feeling for those that aren’t like you.

Humbly,

John Wheeler

PS. Oh well, so much for shorter posts.