How to Follow Christ – Love

Greetings Dear Reader,

I wish to go back to something a Dear Reader said that matters to me greatly.  “I'm trying to fight for something. I believe that something is unashamed, relentless, barrier crushing love.”  I am sure that this is the vital essence of following Christ. 

I have written about this often but I want to focus on the how more than the importance.  We must assure that we understand how to love.  Everything we do must be motivated by love.  Everything we say and everything we think must be guided by our love.

All this comes from how we think.  When I interact with others I must always consider what I am seeking.  If I am not seeking to show them love then I am not following Christ in my relationship with them.  If I have disagree with them I must do so in love.

I must consider others better than me, not in false humility but in respect and love.  I must put aside my wants and pride to love others when they offend me.  I must not judge, reject, or mistreat anyone.  Instead I must put my “self” aside and follow Christ in loving so deeply it crushes barriers to others seeing Christ.

I know that not applying this has hurt the ability of others to see and follow Christ.  Everything about this is at the core of who we are to be in following Christ.  Even when things that are wrong are involved I must show love.  Even when I am justly angry I must show love.  The truth is that my Dear Reader said it very clearly.  This is the thing we fight for as Christ followers.  Unashamed love will crush barriers.  Relentless love for others can heal, rescue, and redeem. 

This is a very hard path to walk and a very difficult thing to do.  In the end, however, it is what saves us.  I do not just mean spiritual salvation.  It is what keeps us together as a race.  It is what heals failures from the past.  It is also a choice.  It is an act of will not a pursuit of feeling.  It is a determination to love others no matter what the cost.  I have to work at it daily.  I fail often.  It is still what I must do if I hope for others to see Christ in me.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store."