They Will Know...
By now, the entire country (and beyond) is aware and even emotionally involved in what has happened in our Charleston community. For Christians, as the days have gone by, this has become a remarkable story of God's amazing grace and mercy in the hearts of a deeply wounded community, but especially in the stunning statements of forgiveness from the broken hearts of the family survivors.
I keep thinking of the statement, "They will know we are Christians by our love." I don't remember what talk show I was listening to in my truck this week (it could have been any of about 30), but they played an audio sound bite from a newsman who was speaking live, and watching as a group of 500 or so (mostly white) folks walked hand-in-hand toward the Emmanuel Church in Charleston to join the other crowds there in respect and support. The 500 were singing Christian hymns. The tone in the voice of the reporter was the very reaction we should expect in the face of what the Bible considers love. I could hear the confusion in his voice. He didn't know exactly what words to use to describe what he was seeing. It was something other than mere amazement.
I once read that the Scripture, "Behold! What manner of love is this...that we should be called the children of God," is a level of shock we underestimate. I think the writer said we should imagine walking on the polar ice cap and suddenly coming across a flowering rose bush. I think the radio newsman in Charleston was seeing something "other-worldly" in his experience.
See, the world is appropriately impressed when we feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, and shelter the un-protected. But, in truth, all decent folks of all religions have been doing that for centuries. Christians should never stop. But if we want folks to step back and come up speechless in the face of Biblical love, then we will have to "dive into the deep end of the pool" when it comes to our decisions to love.
See, what that newsman saw was the shadow of a cross... the one on Calvary.
Behold! Indeed.
Scott
By now, the entire country (and beyond) is aware and even emotionally involved in what has happened in our Charleston community. For Christians, as the days have gone by, this has become a remarkable story of God's amazing grace and mercy in the hearts of a deeply wounded community, but especially in the stunning statements of forgiveness from the broken hearts of the family survivors.
I keep thinking of the statement, "They will know we are Christians by our love." I don't remember what talk show I was listening to in my truck this week (it could have been any of about 30), but they played an audio sound bite from a newsman who was speaking live, and watching as a group of 500 or so (mostly white) folks walked hand-in-hand toward the Emmanuel Church in Charleston to join the other crowds there in respect and support. The 500 were singing Christian hymns. The tone in the voice of the reporter was the very reaction we should expect in the face of what the Bible considers love. I could hear the confusion in his voice. He didn't know exactly what words to use to describe what he was seeing. It was something other than mere amazement.
I once read that the Scripture, "Behold! What manner of love is this...that we should be called the children of God," is a level of shock we underestimate. I think the writer said we should imagine walking on the polar ice cap and suddenly coming across a flowering rose bush. I think the radio newsman in Charleston was seeing something "other-worldly" in his experience.
See, the world is appropriately impressed when we feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, and shelter the un-protected. But, in truth, all decent folks of all religions have been doing that for centuries. Christians should never stop. But if we want folks to step back and come up speechless in the face of Biblical love, then we will have to "dive into the deep end of the pool" when it comes to our decisions to love.
See, what that newsman saw was the shadow of a cross... the one on Calvary.
Behold! Indeed.
Scott
