Love Others

 “If I say to the wicked, ‘You are going to die’, and you don’t sound the alarm warning them that it’s a matter of life or death, they will die and it will be your fault. I’ll hold you responsible.” Ezekiel 3:18 The Message

There is a famous quote by Edmond Burke that has been on my mind lately and it states, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” How long will we Christians sit on our hands and hide in our “perfect” worlds of blue skies, rainbows, and churches filled with fellow believers who pretend to have it all together? Our beliefs are being mocked and disregarded as we sit complacently in our chairs, pews, and homes accepting that this is just how it all goes down. The more we sit back and do nothing, the worse this world will get, and more souls will be lost, rightfully so. We are in the midst of a battle, and instead of drawing our swords to fight we are sitting back and allowing the enemy to win. 

The youth of today are being bombarded with a worldview that sets them up for mental illnesses, poor health, and a mindset that focuses only on themselves. Empathy and sympathy are headed out the window, while pride and selfishness are marching through the door as a way of living the best life. I’ll get what I want, and it doesn’t matter who I hurt or how I get it;  just as long as it doesn’t hurt me. This way of thinking is becoming more and more prevalent. Our kids have access to news, social media, and information that they’re not old enough to understand. Their brains are not fully developed, and yet we seem to think it will not affect how they behave or perceive the world and themselves. Their identities are being built on how many followers, likes, and viewers they have on their social media accounts. As Isaiah says, “What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes and think themselves so clever.” Now is the time to take a stand, speak the truth, and let them see that there is a better way and that their identities are found in Christ. 

How can we change this? How can we fight when it seems we have already lost the battle? We must put on our armor, take up our swords, and remember we are fighting a battle, but the war has already been won. God will be with us and has gone before us. Stand firm, be bold, and LOVE others so the world can see there is hope in this dark, lost world. We need to LOVE others how Jesus loves us. That means speaking the truth, and the only truth worth speaking is the words from the Bible. We are at a point in history where if we don’t start speaking the truth we are missing our purpose. People are hurting, suffering, and looking for hope, justice, love, and peace. The harvest is plenty, and now is the time to start reaping. As Christians, we can point them to the only one who can give them what they are looking for, but we can’t do this by pretending that our lives are perfect. It’s time to be real with others. It’s time to start living life the way God intended it to be lived, and that means allowing others in our lives. We need to get off our cell phones and social media, out of our houses, and look up to see what is really going on around us. We can hide in our houses and give our money to the poor, but until we get outside and LOVE others we aren’t really living the life God has planned for us. “If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:3 (NLT) Challenge yourself this week and choose to go for a walk and talk to a neighbor, set your phone down on your lunch break and visit with a coworker or family member, or send an encouraging text to someone you care about. Be the light and LOVE others.