Be Led By Love

Reading through Matthew 18, stricken regarding the ending parable.

One who owed far more than could ever be paid, brought before the king to answer for debts. And cleared, given freedom. Rather than losing life and family and all things, truly as would have been fully understood within realm of the king's prerogative and power...he was shown compassion and forgiven the debt, effectively, being freed.

Was he any less indebted to the king at that point, though? Seriously? Having been effectively forgiven (as it was effectively being overlooked as debt, for him to have been released), is he not at that point all the more exceedingly indebted to the king--no longer only indebted for what provisions had been accrued, unpaid, but then also for freedom to live unfettered?

Indebted, at that point, for freedom despite the truth of all debt. Doubly indebted, then. All the more owed to the king, for provision and for life.

But what did he do? Was he humbled by the knowledge of how great was the mercy shown him? Was he grateful to such an extent as to be truly given to service on behalf of the king, for receiving such grace as compassion? Was he given to walk with a deeper expression of compassion, humbled to have received so far beyond what could have been ever expected or warranted?

No, he wasn't. He acted in opposition the grace shown him.

The king allowed him his freedom, despite massive debt. And he turned around, gaining freedom, to then act on pretense of superiority. He exalted himself, as though he had authority like the king's, by calling a fellow servant to task for debt outstanding...

...yet without exercising mercy.

He lorded over his fellow servant, without mercy.

He saw the offenses of another and decried them as unacceptable, denouncing the person's right to freedom and casting them into chains. For even a far lesser debt, ultimately, than he had ever been forgiven.

Totally oblivious, though.

Completely oblivious to the inherent contradiction of such a way of acting.

And as a result, he found himself enslaved to his prior debts, as the king brought him to answer for the things which he had ever done.

It's a very cautionary tale for those who have been forgiven by the Lord.
Specifically, for those who do know Him and call Him Lord.

Which all the more is why it's so very much a cautionary tale.

Because...how many of us do that very same thing?

I have, and I know I have, and I have been stricken to find it true (both of which have testaments to such as truth...which will remain standing in this present forum which is given as a testament to His redemptive work and revelations). And I've cried out for deliverance and help to not go in that way, again, and must trust that He will keep me from that fleshly tendency to denounce others, lovelessly.

Even thereby so many distinctions arise.

But the core of it all is this:

What was at heart of the king's decision to allow the servant to go free, despite the debt?
And what was lacking when the servant then neglected to show the same mercies?

What was at the heart of all Christ's teachings, except love and devotion to God?--such love for the Father as even entails love for all those whom He has created (even in His own image!--incomprehensible honor!)...thus, an encompassing love for those being discipled, chided, and even strongly rebuked...

Love, though.
Love.

Love, my friends.

This really is the core.
And my own heart is still so regrettably devoid, in so many instances which are utterly empty except that the Lord fully direct. Unto love.

Two commandments, y'all. The sum of the law and the prophets, He has told us.

Two.

Which, really...are summed by the first of them, given that the second one flows only out of abundance of the first.

Not vice-versa.

Let's break this down, very briefly (and awkwardly, maybe)...

...God is love, in the sense that true love has its ultimate source only in and from and of Him. Just that, even as He is truly holy, then His love is also holy. Pure. Untainted by any of the falterings of the flesh unto self-indulgences. He has no equivalent to human "self-indulgence," as He is wholly replete, fully composed always, utterly and truly whole and well, lacking nothing in Himself--and that which He does, of His own pleasure, according to His perfect will...benefits those who are His creatures, as is thus all the more to His glory...that in glorifying Himself unto us, we are lavished with graces beyond comprehension, we are given much good. Such that He even took on flesh, coming to walk among us--enduring much suffering, while here, for the sake of saving many from the destruction we had wrought and brought upon ourselves for ever acting against His perfect rule.

Breaking away from perfection doesn't result in perfection. Deviation from perfection can only be unto imperfection. Brokenness. Compounding.

So, in love...He came. He so loves the world that He sent His only begotten Son, so that whoever would believe on Him, trust in Him, and turn to Him for sanctuary (thus turning away from self-indulgence and deviance against God's perfection)...would have eternal life.

A good teacher recently pointed out, in terms of those attributes which we're told to strive after...
...are only as a striving unto Christlikeness. So to be more like Him. Like God.

So, the fruit of the Holy Spirit?...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? These are the fruit of the Holy Spirit, as these are reflections of God's character, made evident in us who spend more and ongoing time with Him. In His Presence. In His Word. In fellowship with Him. All these things, which are individually distinct even as pointedly conjoined, in essence.

And of all those which we were absolutely admonished to seek after, of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of Christ unto us?...weren't we also told that they were utterly and totally empty and meaningless...unless they were all sourced in, founded upon, and enacted of love?

So, what is love?

Look to Christ, for an example.
He endured shame, mockery, absolute torture--physical and mental and emotional...for love.
Without a word to His own defense.
Without a twinge of indignation against us, whom He loved.
He went meek to the slaughter.

And slaughter Him, we did.
Mercilessly.

God walked among us. Capable of destroying us in an instant.
And allowed us, instead, to torment Him. To mete out our hatred, in person.
Violently.

He endured silently.
In love.

Without anger.
Without resentment.
Without bitterness.

Only love.
Perhaps even more poignantly felt, for the sheer ballast of utter hatred which was given vent upon Him, all the more unrestrainedly for witness of such unreserved graciousness as sincere love.

He endured.
Without the benefit of dulled senses.

He endured.
For love.

So, how quick are we to judge? ...how quick are we to turn an edge to tone, out of discomfort or disinterest or even apathy?

How quick are we to think we can plan for the needs of another, and had ought do so, thinking we know better what their needs are than even they?
...rather than turning to the One who gave all, who knows without a shadow of uncertainty, precisely what most need be said and done, unto healing and salvation?

He was denounced for being familiar and gracious to those who were considered the most heinous of sinners. And we are not nearly so charitable of spirit as He is, but yet are we kept distant not by a desire to obey Him so much as a desire to refrain from being "tarnished?"

...this isn't to say that wisdom isn't necessary, in terms of being subject always to His leading--not wandering into any and all situations indiscriminately, thinking self-sacrifice will yield the salvation of others. Christ is the only sacrifice necessary, to that end. We aren't called to the same. Even as service to Him sometimes leads unto death, then it's not something self-directed or determined, but part of pursuit of Him, obedience to Him. Not self-willed and determined.

Although He is so gracious and loving and kind even as to turn our most wayward attempts at obedience oft unto His glory, regardless how misshapen and strangely conceived the efforts might have been. Often, at least.

Thing is, there's not a minute-by-minute checklist, in terms of methodology. There's not a checklist at all, really, given that self-sacrifice unto Christ means walking in obedience to His leading. Moment by moment. And even as there are so, so many guidelines for general practice which can be wholly cherished in and of and from Scripture...it's only as He gives a moment by moment interpretation unto practice that any of those would truly be lived. Not as a mental practice, but as one enacted out of love.

That's not something thought can muster.

He, alone, can do it. And it's His will to do so. Ask Him.
He wrote about it. There are many records of His will to lead, even as recorded as the utterances of those such as David who were led by His Spirit even to cry out for such guidance. Such a desire is prompted by God, given that the fallen nature would have none of it, would not dredge up something so blatantly counter to otherwise intentions and directives.

He works to will and to do. Both.

And so it goes for love, too. I've asked Him again and again, each time He's revealed to me how cold and lifeless my heart is (even still) in a minute and infinitesimal contrast to His own (which is beyond comprehension, even as momentarily glimpsed). Thinking to love, then finding that even what otherwise seems all consuming...is absolutely empty, totally devoid of life...in comparison.

Unto a desire to be changed, then, to further embody and evidence and give light to that love which is truly all-consuming.

He can do this. He will do this. He said it through so many of His prophets in Israel, that He would give a new heart, breathe life, make it flesh as to feel. And even through Paul, that we will be transformed, from image to image, glory to glory, unto the likeness of Christ.

Attempting to pre-empt that in some desultory fashion does no one any favors, though. Having all knowledge but lacking a simultaneous all-encompassing love--empty, meaningless. Having all authority, but lacking that love? Malicious. To act in His authority, then, according even to His word's precepts--but without a more encompassing love for the people being taught and admonished than desire for engendering righteousness in them?

Yeah. No. Righteousness apart from love is empty.

Look to the Pharisees of Jesus' earthly day...they attempted righteousness. He said the outside did have an appearance of goodness, even, as calling them whitewashed sepulchres. With how much love did He speak such words, longing for their repentance?

Even as mother hen, longing to draw her chicks into a loving, protective embrace.

How deep is such a love? As not only unto all suffering and death, but even so powerful as to overthrow death.

Is your love sufficient to rebuke death?
Is your love sufficient to free the oppressed from demonic possession?

I have been told in increasingly explicit terms that love is not negotiable, in such matters.
Otherwise, the cautionary tale told of those in Acts...who found themselves stripped and beaten...is much to be taken to heart.

Although, the tack taken by the offensive these days...
...why would they even bother to openly announce themselves?

They have almost free reign, given that even those who profess to know Christ, to serve Him...
...refuse to acknowledge spiritual realities, given the certain mockery to be endured for so doing, in this religious age of "scientific reason" which denounces all things beyond its machinations as utterly vapid.

So, how many millions in the Western civilization now believe there's no such thing as a spiritual reality, because it's beyond the explicit reach of scientific inquiry (in much the same way as is philosophy, as it were)? Metaphysics.

So, why would they announce themselves? And yet, is the warfare any less pronounced, for being less obviously notable?

Oh, no.

All the more pernicious, rather. All the more insidious, for the dual-front attack from both within and without, as there's the external pressure to deny the reality of the attack from within.

How much more dire is the need for love, then, in the midst of such a strange war as would warp all thought, if it were able? Love covers a multitude of sins, as it were.

The bind that we're in is so much...stranger than is superficially apparent. And it's something that's been worked over centuries. Excesses on one end lead to excessive restriction in response. And on and on, until reality becomes a finitely manufactured process, refusing all things which seem incongruous for lack of ability to comprehend. Rejecting the unknowable, thinking such a rejection provides safety in the "known," when it effectively does nothing except restrict awareness of implicit and explicit dangers.

Where fear rules, freedom is forsaken.

But He didn't give us a Spirit of fear. No, indeed. He has given us His own Spirit--of love, power, and a sound mind.

And as loosely written as this all is, I pray that in between the lines and in the midst the all, certain matters becoming known might be shared. There's so much more, and it's all in His Word. Scripture has what truth we need, given interpretation by the Spirit, who does bring all things to remembrance. And guides into all truth.

One step at a time.

We need to love. As He loves.
To be free the chains of self-preserving tendencies and of judgmentalism, of self-righteousness and hypocrisy. Love, as we're loved. He has to do this work in us, though, or it won't be done.
But He will as we ask, and continue asking.

Ask Him.