Would we like to change the word with one order, one command? We hear commands and orders all our lives—small attempts to change the world around us, perhaps: “Make your bed;” “Eat your veggies;” “Be at work by 10am.” In Matthew 22, we hear more commands: “Love God;” “Love your neighbor.” How in the world can someone—even God—command us to ‘love’?!?
First of all, for us English-speakers, ‘love’ is a feeling.
Second, we love so many things in so many different ways: We love pizza, the
new Marvel movie, that fancy car, our girlfriends/boyfriends/ spouses, our
mothers, and our country. We do not have a clear understanding of ‘love’ because
we use the one word to indicate our very different relationship to things,
people, and country!
The Greeks of the 1st Century used different
words to describe or indicate their different relationships. Greek has four
words that we usually translate as ‘love’—but maybe we shouldn’t . Eros
is a feeling of attraction, physical desire, associated often with visible
beauty. Phileo indicates the camaraderie among friends, a positive
brotherly/sisterly relationship. Storge reveals a familial connection
and commitment, that “blood bond.” And, agape is selfless behavior;
putting others first; showing kindness not based on feelings; giving of oneself
without expectation of anything in return. This agape is the word that we
find in Matthew’s Gospel.
When we realize that we are not commanded to have a feeling
but to act in a particular way—selflessly, putting others first, with kindness
(in spite of feelings), self-giving—then we begin to wrap our minds around these
words…and we can begin to live them out. We’re commanded to act, not to feel. I
deny myself and give part of my time, part of my day, to God in prayer, devotion,
Scripture reading, or worship. And, I act with kindness towards my neighbor
regardless of how I feel. We do these things because when we do, we take another
step towards being fully human as God intended. Wesley (founder of Methodism) says
that living into these commandments is moving towards “Christian perfection”—being
who and what God created us to be, living into the “image of God” (Gen. 1:27).
So, back to changing the world with a command. When we give
ourselves to God, when we agape God, when we say ‘no’ to ourselves and ‘yes’
to God for just a few minutes each day, we are allowing God to change us. Each
encounter with God—through prayers, worship, Scripture reading—changes us
somehow, shapes our lives in so way. Likewise, every time you and I speak with
grace, do any small act of kindness, allow someone else to have priority, they
are changed. Through agape, you and I become conduits of God’s grace and
instruments of change in this world.
When we live into these commandments, you and I begin to change this world. Living out agape in our lives—towards God and neighbor—changes the world. Be a world changer today.
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