How Different Our Weapons: The Big One!

    I am convinced that our most formidable weapon as believers is Love. There is nothing that confuses or angers our adversary the devil more than for us to love one another and to love those people he sends to oppose, persecute or otherwise harass us. Nothing in the dark kingdom can relate to or comprehend love for another creature in any way. Jesus knew this, of course, and told His followers that their love for one another would be their distinguishing mark as His followers (John 13:34-35) and also had words about those who opposed them: "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." (Matthew 5:44-45) "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." (Luke 6:27-28, 35-36)

     These amazing words from Jesus certainly serve notice to us that our weapons are quite different from those generally used by humans! And the Apostle Paul, quoting Proverbs 25:21-22, continues this same thought: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

    But something has gone awry, I think, especially in terms of how those who oppose us view us. Yes, some of that negativity and hatred comes from their brokenness and the evil they have sold themselves into. It's terribly naive to expect unredeemed people to act redeemed. But with Jesus' words about loving our enemies fresh in our minds, perhaps we can admit that the church hasn't done as well at loving our enemies as Jesus envisions. I wrote an earlier blog, quite some time ago (December 21, 2007) in which I reflected on how we became the enemy of sinners instead of the "friend of sinners" that Jesus was. I revised it a bit today and found that it relates to this entry, so if you want to take a peek at it, you can do so by clicking here. 
    What makes love such a formidable weapon? Time doesn't allow me to write all that could be said about this, but in addition to confusing the devil and his minions, love has the power to overcome the defenses and fears that keep so many people bound up in brokenness and hostility. Many of us, perhaps most of us, have stories we can tell about how love conquered the heart of someone who was hard against God (and usually others as well). Indeed, some of us are the ones who were conquered by love! I think of an old Johnny Cash song as I write:

     Six foot six he stood on the ground

     He weighed two hundred and thirty-five pounds
     But I saw that giant of a man brought down

     To his knees by love.

     You can't see it with your eyes, hold it in your hands
     But like the wind it covers our land
     Strong enough to rule the heart of any man
     This thing called love
     It can lift you up, never let you down

     Take your world and turn it around
     Ever since time, nothing's ever been found

     That's stronger than love

     (A Thing Called Love, Johnny Cash)

     So love, Christlike love, is "The Big One," the most formidable weapon in our spiritual arsenal. It is that which is most like God and that which best reveals His heart and power to those it touches. But it isn't automatic, of course. Consider a few thoughts about this weapon called love.
     First, we cannot love from a place of fear. I think that the reason many Christians have such a hard time loving those who oppose God is that they live in a place of fear. I especially see that in terms of the decline of our moral values as a culture. And although I understand why some folks might be afraid, I am quite convinced that God wants to remove our fears so that we can love the unlovely. We cannot love someone we are afraid of. This underscores once again how important it is for us to "live loved," totally secure in Father's love for us, as we experience His love directly and through His people. (I trust you see why Jesus told us to love one another: part of the way He loves us is through His people). It also underscores how important it is for us to pay attention to our "peace-o-meter" so that we are aware of our fears/anxiety and take them quickly and persistently to God ("I sought the Lord, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears." Psalm 34:4)
     Second, we must allow God to define what love looks like. Our culture defines love in very twisted ways, as you know, but God defines love as doing that which is best for the other regardless of what it costs me. This is so important! It's important first as we are thinking about God's love for us. How many times do we catch ourselves defining how God's love should look for us yet later realize that if He had done what we thought was loving at the time it would have been bad for us? How many of us have children who misunderstand our expressions of love? :-) But this is also important as we consider how to love others as well,  even those who oppose us and our Christian values. Because I am not afraid of this person, because I recognize that every human being deserves my respect, I am free to be kind yet also truthful as I relate to that person. It is not loving to suggest to someone captured in deception and doing harm to him/herself that "it's okay." But I must express this truth in a way that conveys my respect and concern, and only as God's Spirit leads, never out of fear or the anger that comes from fear. Will they receive my love? Perhaps not, but love's power will be at work in them nonetheless because I have delivered truth in a package that speaks of undeniable care and respect. I hope this is clear and that you can make specific application of it. If not, please let me know, and I will try again. We really won't win the battle if we use a lesser weapon!
     Third, it occurs to me that love is usually a stealth weapon that takes longer than I prefer for it to do its work. This means that consistency and persistence are the keys to "using this weapon well." I trust that this is fairly obvious, but it needs to be stated. It takes time for the gentle brush of love to wear down the hardened stone of a stubborn and broken heart.
     I am done for today. And I think I am done with this series! I do better when I am free to be spontaneous, I think! We will see what next week brings. For now, may your roots grow down deep into God's love for you so that you will live free from fear, able to love those closest to you and those most fiercely opposed to you with consistency and grace.

Learning to live loved and loving,

Tom, one of Abba's dearly loved children