The Daily Word
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Risk of Association
Who and what people associate themselves with usually gives them a certain “name,” notoriety, or characteristic. As it was in the Apostle’s time, so in our time today, being associated with Christ brings about the risk of being misunderstood, hated, and persecuted. This is because the ways of the world are so radically different from the Truth. Are you willing to be associated with Christ in this present age?
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“If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.”
John 15:18
Who do we associate with? Usually when we are associated with a certain group of people, we are each described by the same features of the group, good or bad, real or fake. “Oh you’re Catholic. You must be conservative.” “Oh, you must hate women and gay people.” Lies and untruth. Brothers and sisters, that’s the “price” we have to pay to be followers of Christ today. We will be misunderstood and hated. Because we are associated with Christ.
Jesus tells us that if the world hates you know that it hated Him first. Why does the world hate him? Because it does not know Him. The ways of the world advocate for fleeting pleasures and selfish ambitions. That’s the not the way of true joy and love. And since the world does not know Christ it hates Him because He stands against everything that the world uses to tempt us. But we must continue to stand and associate with the Lord, being the witness to the truth, to the One who is true and lasting Love. This association will cost us. Are we willing to remain associated with Christ?
Love One Another
Jesus told His disciples to “love one another.” He didn’t just tell them, He showed them. He willingly laid down His life for them and for us. To truly love is to want to good of the other, even if it will cost us.
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“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”John 15:12-13
I am pretty sure we have all heard this before: love one another as I have loved you. Sometimes it may sound cliché and becomes just one of the many popular sayings. But today I want to invite you to really take a closer look at that phrase. Not only is it a phrase, it’s Jesus’ words. Close your eyes and imagine Jesus saying it to you: love one another. What does it mean to love?
Not simply complimenting someone or buying gifts for people. To love really means to will the good of the other. To love means to want their good, even if it means it will cost you somehow. Hence we are told there is “no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend.” Not just friends, but enemies too. To truly love is to love without distinction, without separation, without counting the cost. To love is to truly put others first. Can we do that? The answer is no. We can’t do that on our own, but we can if we let Jesus in and let Him love through us.
So, today I invite you to spend some time in the silence meditating and praying with those words of Jesus: “Love one another.” Reflect on how you love and invite Jesus in to now love through you.
No Distinction
Distinctions are not always bad but we make them bad. They can be used to highlight the goodness and uniqueness of something or someone, but yet we choose to use it to cause separation. At the Council of Jerusalem, it was taught that God made no distinction between the Jews and the Gentiles. What does this mean for us today?
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“He made no distinction between us and them,
for by faith he purified their hearts.”Acts 15:9
How often do we make distinctions and separate ourselves from others or put one group against another? “These are my people.” “Those are the ones from that area.” As humans, we in our fallen nature tend to accentuate the differences and ignore the similarities. He’s black. She’s white. He’s Asian. She’s Mexican. Yet, we never say “we are all human” or “we all make mistakes” or “we are not perfect.” There is always a separation. But brothers and sisters, we were made for unity and communion.
God is one, three Persons yes, but one God, one Divine Being. The Trinity exists as a community of love, where, yes there is a distinction of Persons, but not a separation of communion. The distinctions made here is what makes our God so awesome. Instead of using distinctions to cause separation can we use distinctions to highlight the uniqueness of the other? Instead of using those differences to induce hate, can we approach them as avenues of love? God made no distinction between the Jews and the Gentiles, and God makes no distinction between Christians and Atheists or Whites and Blacks or Asians and Europeans — God sees them all as His beloved sons and daughters.
Can we today see the differences in the people around us and use them as occasions of charity and kindness? Can we look at the other today, see their differences, and embrace them? Because when we embrace them, we are really embracing God.
