Tuesday, April 5, 2011

"Is he landing a plane?"

One weekend a group of friends and I were driving northward up to Canada-it was about 7p.m. As we drove through each city on the way, it was barren, saltless, the lights were covered with bowls. But, as we approached this one city, the only thing you could see in the distance was a huge, lit up Cross on the mountain straight ahead.
Am I a neon, colorful, huge, flashing sign pointing to Jesus? When people look at me do they ask why it seems as if I look like I am trying to land a commercial airline? Or, do others spit me out because I have 'no God-like seasoning.' When I used think about what it means to be a light in the world, I believed I had to wear Jesus apparel with a big Cross about my neck. Nowadays, although I still do those things!, I have learned to wear love.
Lately, I have been struggling with this problem of pulling the log out of my own eye. I like to think that I have it all figured out while others just don't get it. Yeah, well, I forget to pull that log of hatred, annoyance, frustration, and judgment out of my own eye. Instead, I need to stick the contact lens of love in my eye. Although I see others around me who struggle with swearing, laziness, lust, and so on, I have learned that I struggle with playing the role of God when still I struggle with not loving others as I should. That's what God tells me to do, yet still I struggle with this love-aspect of my commitment to Him.
If I am not loving others from my heart, and I continue to show condemnation, anger, or judgment to them, am I really showing love? If someone is struggling with something, will they really want to go to 'this light on the hill'? Probably not, because right now they probably don't see a light, maybe a dim light, but not a light strong enough to walk toward. I want to be a light of love, that shines so brightly as to say, 'I am just here to love!' I must strive to be that giant, lit-up, neon-colored Cross on the hill. Not a dim, dying, in-need-of-batteries light.
God, make me more like you today. Show me what it is to love unconditionally. To see the log in my own way, to find the tools to tear it out, and replace it with the contact lens of love. Help me to 'land that plane', to light up so that others know I am only that reflection of you. If I am honestly going to be a follower, lover, and pursuer of you, I need to be clothed in love. Hear my prayer today, God, and lead me in love. Amen.

2 comments:

  1. Contact lenses of love! Coming soon to your local Christian optometrist.

    (If only...)

    Love it.

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  2. So good Josh. It is a choice to put that lense in daily. But sometimes we still think it is okay to try and squint around the log. When in reality we can't see anything! Remove our forrests Lord. Heal our eyes. Give us a new Rx

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