Why Are We Wound So Tight?

John 13:34-35

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

I watch the news and social media feeds in horror these days.  The amount of anger and hatred I see is really just heart wrenching.  The thing that really causes me, even more, heartache is that CHRIST-followers add to the turmoil by fighting over some of the most trivial things.  Now, don't get me wrong there are some things that we do indeed need to contend for in the faith, but the bulk of the stuff we argue and fight about inside the church really is not going to matter in 10,000 years.  We have so many people who claim to know Christ but are just as mean as snakes.  If we know who Jesus is, truly and we claim to follow Him our lives should look different.  

Jesus has given you and me as Christ followers a mandate to love as he loves.  Why?  So that everyone around us will know that we are HIS disciples. You see, we all carry a banner in front of us and if we are claiming to know Jesus we should not look like the world.  We should not be bitter, angry, unforgiving, and resentful.  We should be full of joy and peace.  Why?  Because of the Prince of Peace orders our steps.  We should not be angry and bitter with each other but rather we should love each other with a fierceness that cannot be matched.  How is that played out?  We should pour our lives out for each other, walk with one another even when it's not easy, pray for each other constantly, and give when there is a need.  Sadly, I don't see this too often...I see people who are quick to want to rip apart and tear down.  

Eph 4:29 says: 

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

We need to be building one another up in the Lord.  We need to be coming alongside each other and in a spirit of love, encouraging each other to press into Jesus.  But sadly, alot of the times I see people who 'claim' that they are 'only speaking in truth and in love' but they really have an underlying desire to destroy and build themselves up.  If your desire is to be proven right in your theology, rather than seeing people reconciled to the God of the universe, when you chastise, then your motives are wrong.  

We should above all else have a desire to see people come to know Jesus, and if we're jerks to one another that can really be counterintuitive.

Bottom line is that we should love one another well and stop getting wrapped around the axel so stinking tight, life is too short.  Go out of your way today to show off who Jesus is to people that are around you.