Ethicist Stanley Hauerwas has been quoted as saying that the problem with much of American Christianity is that has mistaken love for simply "being nice." Of course, there is nothing wrong with being nice, as we often remind our children. However, Dr. Hauerwas's point has something to do with the nature of the Gospel.
Jesus came from a bad neighborhood ("Can anything good come from Nazareth?"), interacted with the "wrong" people ("Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"), was not afraid to confront hypocrisy ("whitewashed tombs"), and chose as His disciples extremely unlikely leaders (only Judas Iscariot seemed to have credentials that would get him hired at a regular job, and look how that turned out!).
The Kingdom that Jesus spoke about and invited all to join was one where its residents lived and worked in the toughest places and among the most downtrodden. Followers of this new Kingdom walked among the demon-possessed, the lepers, the overlooked, and the unclean. All the while, a message of grace, forgiveness, and healing love shined through each interaction.
Today the Church of Jesus Christ continues to live out this legacy. So, we are not just called to be "nice," but we are more specifically called to be loving. Love is not always "nice" at first glance, but it always promotes healing. And, we are called to do ministry in what can at times seem very mundane, ordinary, and even messy ways: embracing the shattered lives of those who need Jesus the most -- the "least of these." The results of this kind of messy love are not always easily measurable. Indeed, the Bible reminds us that much of what we invest will not demonstrate its fullest return until seen in the light of eternity. That's OK, though. The One keeping tabs is the only One whose measurements count in the long run. It's not a pretty calling...but it's beautiful!
Charles
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