Reviving a Genuine Love for One Another

 

Seattle, Washington had a reputation as a laid-back city, with sensitive citizens. At least, that is what most people once thought. However, I remember reading of a woman who leapt from a Seattle highway bridge into a ship canal, after frustrated drivers yelled for her to jump. A Seattle police spokesperson reported, "Commuters were coming by and urging her to jump, and that was on the mild side of what they said. I'm not going to repeat the other things they said."

 

Police had tried for three hours to talk her down, with one of her personal acquaintances rushed to the scene to try and coax her from the ledge. The spokesperson went on to say, "Obviously, when you have an individual in some type of crisis, yelling for her to jump is very insensitive to a person's life." Sensitivity to people’s needs does not seem to be a high priority anymore, especially if it delays another individual from getting what they want. Clearly, the voices and opinions of the crowd passing by held greater sway in her decision than those genuinely concerned for her welfare.

 

While this was a shocking event to take place, it has not been an isolated incident. No, people usually do not go around encouraging distraught individuals to commit suicide. However, the world does have its own agenda. How many people trying to live the Christian life have been encouraged by others to yield to temptation and jump into sin? “Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals” (1 Cor. 15:33). How many people have succumbed to the idea that what they want supersedes everything else, including the life of a distraught individual? To get one’s way, how many people are hurt, wounded, even destroyed in the process?

 

I remember one person, years ago, supposedly a New Testament Christian, being told her wishes would place another person’s well-being in jeopardy. She said, “I don’t care, as long as I get what I want!” Is this how genuine Christians should behave? How many people have allowed the influence of others to sway them into doing what Scripture clearly condemns, even what they know to be intrinsically wrong? Has having a consideration for each other in Christ been ripped from the pages of Scripture? It would seem it has from many people’s hearts.

 

Living the Christian life is different from the lifestyle of the world around us. Paul reminds us, “For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Eph. 5:8-10). The world reacts against these qualities because Satan does not want sin pointed out. Being confronted with the reality of sin might lead people to be convicted by the truth, realizing their error and need to change. It is a challenge to remain faithful in an environment that constantly shouts by word and deed to jump into the abyss of sin.

 

Our fellowship with God, and each other, should be precious to us. In Christ, we should find those who genuinely care about our eternal welfare and us. The world around us demands conformity to sin; God offers us transformation and renewal through His Son. To whom will we listen? “For you were called to be free, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love” (Gal. 5:13).