If the Word of God Himself commands it, who are we to question it? Or worse, to completely ignore it? It’s hard to argue with the clarity of this command once you come to understand it; the Bible states it 13 times.
God has been nudging me again lately…
God: “Eli, you’ve been playing it too safe. I’ve never known you to play it safe. That’s not your calling. It’s time to up your game.”
Eli: “Really, God?!”
God: “You’ve been a Harley-riding, mission trip-leading, questioner of the status quo. You are a defender of the unjustly treated, a cancer survivor, and an entrepreneurial risk-taker. What happened to you?”
Eli: “COVID? Mean people? A world gone crazy?”
I could come up with plenty of excuses for that question. But what I can’t come up with is a single excuse that dismisses the command to love one another. So, I guess I’d better start talking about it more, as it informs my coaching.
Perhaps you too are resisting discussions about faith because you believe it might alienate others. But here’s the really good news: God loves ALL His children—even the seemingly unlovable—so much that He sent His only Son to die for all our sins. Our command is to do the same: to love one another. How well are we doing with that?
In truth, I always fall short of this, so there’s plenty of room for improvement. If you can relate, I invite you to try out my litmus test. When frustrated by someone’s words or actions, I stop and ask myself, “How well are you loving this person today, Eli?” And then I pray for God to help me do better. Clearly, I’m a work in progress.
If you can relate, please let me know—I’d love to hear from you! Stay tuned for future posts addressing the “how to” part of the “love one another” equation.
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Is every conversation I have with others about faith? Of course not. I consider myself fortunate to have clients, friends, neighbors, and family both inside and outside my faith life, and I cherish those relationships regardless. Nonetheless, whether I’m engaging in a faith-filled conversation or not, my faith informs my work, so not writing about it from time to time feels disingenuous and inauthentic—Especially for someone who has spent countless hours coaching in the intercultural competence space (defined as the ability to see, appreciate, and adapt to others’ differences) which is essentially, loving one another.
With love, Â
Eli Â