““just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another””
In the world, we can choose friends who are like us. When we don’t like them anymore, we often unfriend them. But Jesus taught His followers to more than "like one another." Since sin entered the world through Adam, human relationships have not only become hard; but to love one another selflessly is impossible. The good news is: Jesus came to fulfill the command to love perfectly.
On the cross, Jesus did not die for lovable people because there are none. In the greatest act of love in history, He gave His life for His unlovely enemies to make them lovely. In the church, God chooses family members for us—-from all walks of life. He chose sinners from different backgrounds with different personalities in order that we might love one another selflessly as He loved us. As Scott Sauls said:
““We didn’t choose one another, but we have been given to one another by our Father in heaven, who intends for us to stay together and not hit the eject button when things get difficult or irritating or boring. And when we stay together, we are the better for it.””
Therefore, stay in your church for as long as you can and love others who are not like you. The perfect church is imperfect because it is full of imperfect saints, forgiven by Christ and are learning to love-- forgiving and serving one another.
The perfect church we all long for is yet to come when Christ returns. Until then, look at the costly love poured out for you on the cross and embrace the call to costly love.
Yours gratefully,
Pastor Joey.