We’ve all heard the stories. Whether you are religious or not- historical facts confirm that Jesus lived here on this earth, and that during his time here he performed miracles, healings, raised the dead, loved immensely, and so much more. Something that he said hit me hard a few days ago. In John 14, Jesus told his disciples that they not only would they do the same things he did, but they would also do things even greater than these.
Even greater than these. God told us that we can do miraculous things like Jesus did, AND things even bigger.
In order to do that, we need to believe. We need to surrender to love. Sounds easy right? All you need is love, love is an open door. Well, yes, love can be easy, but sometimes it’s really, really hard.
“I may not always feel like I have great faith, but I can always obey.”
-Bill Johnson, When Heaven Invades Earth
We need to choose into love. Choose to love others more than yourself. Choose to love your enemies, those who hurt you, those who damaged your past, and those who continue to harm you in the present.
“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”
-C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves
You see, we all know love is patient, love is kind. It is not rude, it is not boastful, it is slow to anger. Love is warm and it’s joyful. Love is everlasting. That is a beautiful side of love. But love can be hard, too. It can be heartbreaking, it can make you sad. Love is not a promise of safety or comfort, but it’s a promise of vulnerability that will hurt at times, but it is this willing vulnerability called love that makes life worth living.
My heart still yearns to be with my friends in Guatemala. My heart misses my family and friends so much. My heart aches when I see so many people living in need when I can’t help them. This is the other side of love. It’s heart-wrenching, yes, but it’s beautiful, too.
To love better, we need to transform our minds- not to be conformed to the patterns or comforts of this world, but to things unseen, because the heart cannot love what the mind does not know. Obedience is the response of a heart that knows love. Surrender to the will of God- which is to love him, and to love people.
I know that the generation I come from has the negative connotation to be rebels, to not care about authority, and being insanely reckless. Now, I know that these things aren’t good at times (most of the time), but I would challenge us to look at how these things can be good (sometimes). And that when they are good, they’re actually something everyone can and should learn from.
Sometimes rebellion isn’t an act of defiance, but it’s actually seeing beyond this world and choosing not to conform to it. Sometimes not listening to authority isn’t actually an act of disrespect, but rather it’s seeing the worth in one’s self and actions through the standards of God, not through the eyes of accredited sources, tradition, or the applause of elders or peers. Sometimes being insanely reckless isn’t an act immaturity, but an act of faith.
I believe that we should encourage this generation’s recklessness and foster it to be reckless for change, insane for love, and crazy enough to live a life of untamed love- even if it means living in rebellion to the patterns of this world.
When things are difficult, choose love. When the world pushes you to conform to it’s brokenness, choose rebellion. When the world decides to settle where it’s at, choose abandonment.
Want to know the best way to love? Take your heart in one hand, Jesus in the other, and chase down a “Greater Than These” type of lifestyle. Because when the will of God seems insane, choosing recklessness will only deepen your faith to allow you to love more and to know God better.
