I'm going to go ahead and do a new post to continue the conversation from Alex's post. For those who haven't read it, make sure you read Alex's last post and the comments before reading this.
Is it possible to show love outside of relationship?
The phrase that comes to my mind when pondering this is "Justice is what love looks like in public". For example, William Wilburforce arguing against the slave trade for years in parliament until it was finally abolished was an act of love. His interest in the issue was not personal gain, but a general love for humanity that kept him from looking the other way as people suffered.
I'm definitely not suggesting that we need to get involved in politics to make significant change- and there's a danger in "giving all we have to the poor" if it's not rooted in love.
Furthermore, we can probably all agree that loving people around us and struggling in relationships is much more difficult and more transformational than any money or time we give to someone we have never met. However, as the hands and feet of Jesus in this world at a time when third world debt, American capitalism, and a host of other factors are leaving millions of people in poverty, our christian love should lead us to ask some questions. Like, is it possible that things could be different? Are there things we can do to stimulate that change? What about the way we live our lives, the things we buy, the ideas we support are helpful/harmful to people around the world?
This is all up for debate, so let me know what youo guys think.
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Hmmmm. I guess for me the thought of charity (or what we contemporarily call love)towards distant humans is a difficult proposition right now; I hardly love my own family appropriately.
ReplyDeleteUltimately, I think I am beginning to resonate with some of Ayn Rand's thoughts. The idea that the greatest good involves a bit of selfishness (my own phrasing, not Madam Rand's). Let me explain using a metaphor: If one started a small business with hopes of expanding to a franchise, one certainly would'nt run their first business half-assed and then borrow money to start 5 more. No, one would build his first business untill it could support a second in order that he wouldn't be stretched too thin in resources.
I think that our ability to love works like a set of concentric circles like those formed from dropping a rock in still water. You would not see a rock dropped and create three or four circles at an epicenter only to skip twenty yard before it started again. The effect is continuous.
Should The Church be concerned with loving all brothers? Absolutely yes! But... I think the loving your neighbor bit may have been partially literal. Jesus loved first His Father and therefore himself (the trinity thingy). He then loved John. He then loved the inner three. He then loved the twelve disciples. Jesus himself did not jump over to Nothern Africa although His disciples eventually did and many more places.
Now. If one wants to employ the time tested missionary paradigm to other parts of the globe, then the rock is hitting the pond at that exact point. Know what I mean?
I guess for myself, knowing love right here inside my own heart, is turbulent. (I) cannot make the globe the object of my affection right now because for better or worse I'm still drinking metaphorical milk. I can try my best to make a difference in small ways however I can and maybe that is the point that everyone is trying to make. If so, thanks for spending an hour reading this comment and please disregard.
Man, everybody is bringing up great points! Its really exciting for me to watch this blog take shape and form into deep discussions about decisions that traditionally have been somewhat cast aside. Thank you Jason for being willing and able to be so transparent! Its my hope that we can all continue to develop that kind of relationship with each other as we continue to journey.
ReplyDeleteI think it’s extremely important to get our love relationships on the right track with our families, however, I believe it to be impossible to accomplish perfection within that. It’s my fear that as we focus primarily on those closest to us we will only accomplish neglect rather than building a perfect foundation. When I think of Jesus, His mission, and the relationship of the Trinity, I don’t see different categories or stages of love. The Golden Rules seem, at least in my humble perspective, to say love God with all that we are made of and everyone else as we love ourselves. I understand the theology of the “Inner Three” so to speak of Peter, James, and John, however, I don’t witness any differing ways of loving them or anyone else Jesus came into contact with.
The specific story that comes immediately to mind is that of the good Samaritan. Samaritans and Jews were on complete opposite sides of the aisle, they’re relationship was worse than that of most democrats and republicans. When that Jewish man was robbed, the Samaritan’s hospitality was absolutely nothing short of perfect love, in ways which I believe are directly mandated by the Trinity. The Jewish man that was robbed wasn’t part of the Samaritan’s inner circle or community. Members of the Jewish collection, when seeing there fallen brother, simply did what a lot of us are guilty of : That is crossing to the other side of the street pretending we don’t notice because it doesn’t effect our immediate situation.
A particular injustice that jumps out at me instantly is that of the Sex Slave Trade. Since our community consists of five beautiful little girls, imagine other communities across the globe being torn to pieces because their judicial system is either non-existent or pathetic and doesn’t protect families against this terrible crime. Imagine if any of our little girls were kid napped, auctioned off, and we were faced with the potential threat of never seeing them again…. I believe in that moment we would all arise to the occasion swinging.
There are currently 120,000,000 sex slaves out there in the world today. Some torn from their families, some from orphanages, some from the streets. I believe that when we don’t make efforts to stand against something we condone it, and in many ways support it. I think of the materialism we are all wrapped up in as well as pornography. I believe even supporting Hollywood’s constant pushing the envelope rated R (should be XXX) movies, the theatre’s that play them, or gas stations and book stores that sell the stuff aides in continuing the epidemic. The view of women being symbols of lust and sex is not of new origin. It is a long standing disease that plagues our sisters, mothers, aunts, and grandmother’s since the dawn of time. The Barbie philosophy is driven into our children at young, tender ages.
To me, Jason’s analogy of the rock in the pond is superior to the one about starting a business. I think the mandate is clear that we shouldn’t choose who we do and do not love. From enemies to neighbors to each other, it should all be the same. The ripple goes out equally without defect, regardless of how the rock landed, surrounding those logs and obstructions which seem to block the way, going on and on touching people we may never meet or see or hear of. I think of it as the “pay it forward” concept. We may not have the direct intention of touching people’s lives that we may never meet, but our actions, words, and choices have an affect larger than we could ever dream. So I think the question isn’t should we have a relationship with other parts of the globe, but rather how do our choices, words, and actions affect those people and that relationship?
Cheers!
I think there are all kinds of things that we can do to change the wrongs in this world. The question is; is to what extent do we want to apply ourselves to create that change? In all reality it would require a lot of sacrifice on our parts if we were to go all out for the cause of love and justice. For example, if we really believe that our brothers and sisters should be free from the oppressive exploitation of corrupt multi-national corporations; and if we really believe that this earth is a gift of God that has been put in our stewardship then how can we with a clear conscience buy any petroleum product? just one example of thousands but a good gage of the extent that we can go with our cause of love and justice. So how far do we want to take it? What are your beliefs worth? but, before you answer I have one more thing for you to consider at what point does compromise become betrayal
ReplyDeleteAlex,
ReplyDeleteCounter question: Can one faithfully betray Christianity in order to hold on to their faith? :) Someone should check out "The Fidelity of Betrayal" by Pete Rollins.
This is an amazing conversation. It is obvious, Jese (and everyone else), that God is working in and amongst you all. It's great to be able to be a fly on the wall of your blog as you discuss these issues, questions, and difficulties that we face each day in life.
Peace.
Dan
Dan -
ReplyDeleteYou should elaborate on this... are you suggesting that it WOULD be considered a betrayal to compromise on these issues but the betrayal is necessary in order to hold on to ones faith?
I would love to hear more.
Jese,
ReplyDeleteHow uncanny that just this morning, my blog post was about the sex trafficking problem running wild in our world, and then I read this. You should look into the organization IJM (International Justice Mission). What they do is actually go to the places where slaves are (sex slaves and others) and FREE them. We have a friend who is in India now, doing this very thing. Although this post (and these comments) are about much more than sex slave trade, I just thought I'd mention it since you did. Check them out. www.ijm.org
I think that it is impossible to betray ones faith in order to retain it. If we really believe in love than we should show that love, just as Christ showed it.
ReplyDelete