The Apostle Paul, for all of his faithfulness to the Christian Gospel, received a good bit of heartache and struggle in return. One church, in particular, seemed to give him a good bit of grief. After faithfully trying to guide, nurture, instruct, and encourage the Corinthian Church, their "gracious response" was to painfully call into question his credentials and leadership. Angry expletives and spitting in his face might have been a kinder response. Instead, they hit him where it hurt.. they attacked his educated mind, professional experience, fierce commitment, and leadership skills. Yet amazingly, in place of retaliation, launching a victimization campaign, or running away from the whole ungrateful lot, Paul does something completely unexpected. He makes room for Love instead.
It's not clear where he learned this stunning and life altering move, but it may have had something to do with Jesus making room to share Love with him. In fact, if you check out Paul's back story, you find that Jesus made A LOT of room and shared A LOT of Love with Paul. So much so, that Paul now wants to make room and share Love with others... not only this struggling church, but anybody and everybody who will open their lives to the transforming power and healing Love of God in Christ. Though injured and pained by this church’s attack, Paul responds by writing a pastoral letter of encouragement and guidance that still speaks to all who long to find faithful ways to make room for the Love of God...
. . . “we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.” (2 Corinthians 4:7-10)
And yet, as inspiring as Paul’s words are, this making room for the life and Love of Christ can be hard going. Whether it be with the people we know and meet, our families, our local community, or the larger world, it can be challenging and at times even frightening to make room for, let alone strive to Love those around us. Perhaps, the “jars of clay” in which we dwell, in place of being pliable and open to Christ’s Love and leading, are just what they seem to be, fragile, earthen jars which can no longer see the light of day for the caked mud and muck that is stuck inside. Tired and weary from a world whose need and brokenness grows by the day, it’s hard to trust that anything new might live in us again. It’s hard to believe that we have the potential to bear the ultimate healing and hope for the world by embracing the company of the One who offers the greatest treasure of all.
But I have to say, as hard as it can be, I’ve caught glimpses of such moments, such shifts when the clay of self- preservation, apathy, and cynicism have been cracked open and peeled apart by the steady and faithful presence of God’s Love in Christ. I've seen it in circles of conversations with people who earnestly want to learn and live different stories where "Love is the hero," in churches and communities who are stepping out into uncertain paths of ministry and service, creating life-giving ways to partner, share, and be agents of hope, healing, and Love, and in authors, movie makers, facilitators, teachers, pastors, and intent souls who want to help build connection, reconciliation, and life. I've seen it in simple acts of kindness and generosity that might not change the world but definitely change the projectory of somebody's life or family. I've witnessed it when a dear friend lovingly risked the question..."What do you want more, being right or our friendship?" And I've seen it, as you have, when others have risked their lives on behalf of complete strangers, where people, who deeply disagree, come to the table to work together for a common cause of good, and in every place where one person is sincerely trying to listen and learn from someone's story that is very different from their own.
These may only be glimpses of what's possible...is possible, but I believe they're tangible "treasures" striving to make room so that "Love may be the hero" of every story. Of course none of this kind of living happens easily or without frustration, irritation and mess. Just ask the Apostle Paul who likens us to clay jars. Jars, whom on occasion, may be tired and weary from a world whose brokenness and need grows by the day. And yet because we too have had Jesus make A LOT of room and share A LOT of Love with us, we, like Paul, can step out, lean in, give, share, listen, act, and make room for Love, again and again and again. And wouldn't it be great if THIS became the something everyone says about us.
"Oh Her... Oh Him...well, they're Somebody who makes room by making 'Love the hero' of every story.'" What a treasure that would be!...What a possible treasure it can be! Definitely one worth holding in the very human clay jar of our lives and hearts. Not to keep, mind you, but so that, with Jesus' help, we might pour such Love out for the world.
Kind Friends, may we continue to hold fast to the One whose Love makes room and holds us all. May it become our joy to pour such Love out for the world. Lenten Blessings, Leslee
"Where love is the hero" of every story is an idea Brian McLaren and Garreth Higgins offer in their work and book, The Seventh Story: Us, Them, and the End of Violence
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