Love, Jesus, and Christians

Coming into this summer, I didn't have any idea what I was getting myself into. Driving into the SOS parking lot for the first time on May 25th was probably one of the more overwhelming experiences of my life. About a dozen people waiting for me at the gate. Once my car was in the lot, they ruthlessly welcomed me by pounding on my car and screaming "DONNIEEEEE!!! Welcome!!!" They then proceeded to take all of my stuff out of my car and move it up to my room that I would be staying in for the summer. This was my first time in Memphis. I didn't know what to expect with SOS. I was nervous. I didn't know anyone. I just wanted my space. But this was them saying "We are your family. We want you to feel welcomed and loved. And we will show you you're loved by serving you over ourselves." Little did I know that this was going to be a theme throughout the summer. That I was going to learn how unconditional God's love is for us and what it looks like for His love to spill from our lives into everyone around us.

I met so many Godly people throughout the summer. People with so much wisdom, joy, love, and contentment from up above. People that gave and continue to give their lives for the gospel. People that live so counter culturally that others around them have no response other than "You're insane."

Love.

That's what made this community and the people different. Love that put others in front of themselves. Love that said "I just got done with a long day of work. I want a nap. But you're my brother/sister. You need help. I'll put aside anything that I want right now to serve you and help you out." Love that put comfort aside and said what needed to be said regardless of how I or others may feel. This love transformed the way that I saw God and the gospel. The verse 1 John 4:19 states "We love because he (Jesus) first loved us." I thought this was a nice concept before the summer but never really understood it... The more of the summer that passed the more I understood how life changing this verse is. 

Gospel.

God's love was ultimately shown through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the sins of the earth. Jesus had everything in heaven. He had nothing to gain. Yet he came down, gave up everything that he had in Heaven so that we may be made perfect in him. (1 Corinthians 8:9) This sacrifice and the grace involved in this sacrifice is completely free to you and me. However, it cost Jesus everything. He gave up everything so that we can be with him in Heaven eternally. That is love. Giving up everything that you have, even the right hand seat to God Himself, so that the poor in the world (us) can be made righteous. When we see how much was given so that we may have a relationship with God, we should want to love people in the same capacity! Obviously, there will always be holes in said love (because we live in a broken world that won't be made right until the day Jesus comes back). But that doesn't mean that we can't attempt to love people the same way that Jesus loved us. 

This is the type of love that I experienced in Memphis this summer. People that saw the sacrifice that was so huge in the gospel of Christ crucified and wanted to in turn love people sacrificially. This is something that I will be trying to incorporate into my life at MSOE in the next school year in a few different ways. I'm not completely sure what those ways are yet. Prayers for wisdom and discernment are appreciated. 

Looking back, I have seen the ways that I have treated others in the past year and have been convicted of the ways that I haven't been loving them. I feel that the gospel is starting to come alive in my heart and show itself. I have a feeling that God is going to do awesome things in MSOE and Milwaukee this coming year. 

All glory to God.