Rule Bending

 

John 13:31-35

Saint Francis is often quoted, “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.”  Four people from our church just returned from a mission trip to India, and what I took away from their talk is the quote above.  Not once was the quote or St. Francis mentioned, but as each of them communicated the meaning; this is what they said, our purpose was not to make converts of the sick and dying, but to serve them by acts of love; the washing and feeding of the sick and dying, the rubbing of oil on the bodies of these who are called the untouchables.  Each one that spoke said that these acts of love transcended language, that though the society had branded them as untouchable, Jesus was without words speaking into their hearts and soul that they are of great value, and because of their personal value, Jesus had sent people from all over the world to touch them. 

Mike Smith was part of that team, and he is an inquisitive type, and wanted to know why others had come to this place of unbelievable poverty, sickness, and dying and who knows what kind of diseases.  To his amazement many answered that they did not know, they just knew they needed to come, many had stepped away from professional careers, and some were young college students, and had been there for a few days, months, and some for years.  Mike was asked why he came, he said it was not on his bucket list, but Jesus told me to go, and I obeyed. 

Jesus said in John 13:34-35,             “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”  Jesus said, “A new Commandment” and Mike Smith got it!  But what about you and me, do we understand the definition of commandment: “a rule to be observed as strictly as one of the Ten Commandments.” 

Could it be that we as a people are given to bending the rules?  A friend who is in what we call ministry in Corpus Christi, told me that if a light is red and no one is coming and he sits there for a moment, he looks both ways and goes through the light.  I told him the red light was not a suggestion on what to do, it was the law, and that makes him a lawbreaker.  I believe many Christians live life in that way they do not obey as Mike did, and the results are that those around them do not see them as disciples of Jesus Christ, because we do not love one another.

Let me leave you with what Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” (Matthew 5:43-46 ESV)  One last quote from St. Francis, “Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”  The impossible is letting Jesus do it through you!

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice