Love Does

I'll be honest, I'm not sure where this post is going to end up, I have a beginning and a vague idea of what I want to say, but just bear with me.

As an added note, please check out Bob Goff and his book "Love Does"

I have this very vivid memory of sitting in a dark room at vbs at Koerner Heights when I was somewhere between the ages of 6 and 10... I'm sure my mother could give you a more specific age, but for now that's what I've got.

We were having a lesson in this dark room when a roman soldier came in and demanded to know if we followed Jesus.

All the other kids looked scared and yelled, "no! No!" But I said, "yes!"

Everyone was so impressed and shocked that I said yes. "She stands up for what she believes in, so mature for her age!"

Let's be real. That wasn't a real Roman soldier, and while everyone else didn't realize that, I was a smart enough kid to know that I wasn't going to be hurt for what I believed in by some high schooler in a dress.

I guess maybe my point is the luxury of it.

Although American Christians do come under attack on occasion, we don't really worry about being tortured or killed for what we believe in.

The picture of Christ on the cross is so abstract to us because suffering is more of an idea than a reality in our day to day lives.

I think it causes us to lose sight of how truly incredible the love of God is for His people.

American Evangelicalism often focuses on the mushy gushy "Jesus is my boyfriend" and leaves out the immense sacrificial love of Christ for His bride, the Church.

Love like that isn't vbs, or Sunday morning sunshine. The picture of love painted in the gospels is one of excruciating pain and complete separation from the Father in order to allow those who believe into complete communion with God.

I wish the church would put more emphasis on Good Friday. Of course, Easter is important, but I the death of Christ and His willingness to take all of our sins upon Him and have his father forsake him is an imperative step.

Without the cross there is no Easter.

Ultimately, I guess my point with opening this post with that story is that if I really was confronted by that kind of situation I hope I would have the same answer.

If Christ was so willing to die for us, why are we so often unwilling to live for Him?