Facing the Book

Facebook. I got to thinking last night... We all are on Facebook. We all have a LOT of friends on Facebook. People that we used to know, people we met in 2nd grade, our 2nd grade teacher, friends from Jr. High, High School, Junior College and College, friends from our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd jobs, the guy we met through our friend because we all went out to dinner because there was a volleyball day the day before at church, my friends boyfriend's sister and mom. We seriously have so many 'friends.' Then my brain, scratch that, the Holy Spirit triggered this thought: Out of my 532 (number drawn at random) Facebook friends, would I love them all and be sacrificial for them - EQUALLY? Would I Acts 2 them? It doesn't matter how close I am to them, I am called to love them and to treat them as better than myself out of humility, because I love the Lord. Or would I have preferences and treat some better than others and some worse? It was convicting. Especially as I think about church planting with Adam. I need to continue to beg the Lord to help me love everyone and to set myself and my preferences and my material items and my comfort and my rights aside, for the sake of loving others. Whether they are believers or not, close or not, annoying or not, love is not an option; treating them as better than myself, is not an option (though the Bible does emphasize prioritizing believers).


Romans 13:8 - Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.


Philippians 2:3 - Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.


1 John 4:7-13, 19-21 - 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.


Matthew 22:39 - And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.


Matthew 5:38-48 - 38"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
Love Your Enemies 43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.


Acts 2:42-47 - 42And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.