English Standard Version
The church hasn't always gotten this one right. Jesus tells us directly that we have one job -- to love one another, just as Christ loved us. Well, Christ loved us sacrifically, to the point of dying on a cross so that we might be saved. The church has gotten this spectacularly right at certain times, choosing to serve communities near and far. At other times... well, we haven't done so great. We've been greedy and selfish and chosen our own interests over the interests of our communities. There is a long, long list of things that we would do differently if we had the chance. By failing to love one another, we haven't pointed to Christ in the way we should have, and that's tragic. Other people have looked at the church and turned away, uninterested due to the failures of the church. It's terrible.
We in the church should never set ourselves up as perfect. We aren't, and we should always be humble enough to admit our mistakes. But we should always choose to love sacrificially first. It's much easier to protect our own interests, but that's not how we're called. We're called to love, first and always, the way that we're loved. And Christ loves us without limit -- even in our very worst, Christ chooses to love us. May we look around and love the world the same way.
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