Over the past several years, I have been able to love and listen to women and children who have been through most horrific abuses at the hands of others. I believe that I have been given this intimate privilege because I too have known physical violence, abuse, and deep emotional hurt.
But I have also been an offender, or a better word for that would be 'a defender'. My son Carson, with his big, beautiful sweet eyes turned to me will often say, "Mom, I can't believe you were ever a bad guy." Friends, it has been a long road letting Jesus deal with my dealing with what I've done out of fear. "Laura the Defender' did some pretty horrible things. I see these "defenders" everyday. Often they are my friends. Sometimes "they" are me when I am not careful. It is very easy to let our interactions with others in this world let our 'smart cautions' and 'wise cynicism' lead to fear, prejudice and avoidance. If you are not careful to balance this with something better, you can quickly become perfectly jaded.
But I'm happy to say that I'm more often accused of being a bit of a Pollyanna- the almost ridiculously optimistic girl that can't seem to see reality. I'm cool with that. It's not that I am turning a blind eye to all of the fear inducing circucumstances it is just that I have my eye on all of the love producing possibilities that abound... and He has a name.
One of my favorite verses is 1 John 4:18. This is most likely because I lived under the bondage of fear for so much of my life. Meeting the person who is PERFECT LOVE... well, that is amazing, amazing grace.
The verse says this,
But I have also been an offender, or a better word for that would be 'a defender'. My son Carson, with his big, beautiful sweet eyes turned to me will often say, "Mom, I can't believe you were ever a bad guy." Friends, it has been a long road letting Jesus deal with my dealing with what I've done out of fear. "Laura the Defender' did some pretty horrible things. I see these "defenders" everyday. Often they are my friends. Sometimes "they" are me when I am not careful. It is very easy to let our interactions with others in this world let our 'smart cautions' and 'wise cynicism' lead to fear, prejudice and avoidance. If you are not careful to balance this with something better, you can quickly become perfectly jaded.
But I'm happy to say that I'm more often accused of being a bit of a Pollyanna- the almost ridiculously optimistic girl that can't seem to see reality. I'm cool with that. It's not that I am turning a blind eye to all of the fear inducing circucumstances it is just that I have my eye on all of the love producing possibilities that abound... and He has a name.
One of my favorite verses is 1 John 4:18. This is most likely because I lived under the bondage of fear for so much of my life. Meeting the person who is PERFECT LOVE... well, that is amazing, amazing grace.
The verse says this,
There is NO FEAR IN LOVE. But PERFECT LOVE DRIVES OUT FEAR , because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
I wrote here about how fear got a hold on me even as a young child. Life experiences began to layer themselves as did the fears. By the age of 30, I lived under a perfect stronghold of fear. The second part of that verse is so true. Fear is punishment for everyone- the fearful person and everyone that person connects. It is the perfect snowball of destruction until something stops the negative momentum. When PERFECT LOVE came to stop my roll down fear's mountain to hell and isolation, He told me His name. His voice is beautiful. There is power in that name- power that silences the demons of the past, the hurts of the present and the fear of the future.
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. -John 8:36
For freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage. -Galatians 5:1
And so I will continue to be a Pollyanna. I will fear not. I will love Jesus and love people. And when I begin to feel a bit cynical about people I will look to Jesus who is PERFECT LOVE. It's really the only way. That's what He said, yes?
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
-John 14:6
Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
1 Corinthians 13:7
Oswald Chamber's teaching from My Utmost For His Highest for today was on this topic of loving imperfect people and how not to become jaded. I hope it blesses and encourages you as much as it did me today. All my love from the farm. ~L
LINK utmost.org
The Teaching of Disillusionment
07 30 2013
Jesus did not commit Himself to them . . . , for He knew what was in man --John 2:24-25
Disillusionment means having no more misconceptions, false impressions, and false judgments in life; it means being free from these deceptions. However, though no longer deceived, our experience of disillusionment may actually leave us cynical and overly critical in our judgment of others. But the disillusionment that comes from God brings us to the point where we see people as they really are, yet without any cynicism or any stinging and bitter criticism. Many of the things in life that inflict the greatest injury, grief, or pain, stem from the fact that we suffer from illusions. We are not true to one another as facts, seeing each other as we really are; we are only true to our misconceived ideas of one another. According to our thinking, everything is either delightful and good, or it is evil, malicious, and cowardly.
Refusing to be disillusioned is the cause of much of the suffering of human life. And this is how that suffering happens— if we love someone, but do not love God, we demand total perfection and righteousness from that person, and when we do not get it we become cruel and vindictive; yet we are demanding of a human being something which he or she cannot possibly give. There is only one Being who can completely satisfy to the absolute depth of the hurting human heart, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord is so obviously uncompromising with regard to every human relationship because He knows that every relationship that is not based on faithfulness to Himself will end in disaster. Our Lord trusted no one, and never placed His faith in people, yet He was never suspicious or bitter. Our Lord’s confidence in God, and in what God’s grace could do for anyone, was so perfect that He never despaired, never giving up hope for any person. If our trust is placed in human beings, we will end up despairing of everyone.
LINK utmost.org
The Teaching of Disillusionment
07 30 2013
Jesus did not commit Himself to them . . . , for He knew what was in man --John 2:24-25
Disillusionment means having no more misconceptions, false impressions, and false judgments in life; it means being free from these deceptions. However, though no longer deceived, our experience of disillusionment may actually leave us cynical and overly critical in our judgment of others. But the disillusionment that comes from God brings us to the point where we see people as they really are, yet without any cynicism or any stinging and bitter criticism. Many of the things in life that inflict the greatest injury, grief, or pain, stem from the fact that we suffer from illusions. We are not true to one another as facts, seeing each other as we really are; we are only true to our misconceived ideas of one another. According to our thinking, everything is either delightful and good, or it is evil, malicious, and cowardly.
Refusing to be disillusioned is the cause of much of the suffering of human life. And this is how that suffering happens— if we love someone, but do not love God, we demand total perfection and righteousness from that person, and when we do not get it we become cruel and vindictive; yet we are demanding of a human being something which he or she cannot possibly give. There is only one Being who can completely satisfy to the absolute depth of the hurting human heart, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord is so obviously uncompromising with regard to every human relationship because He knows that every relationship that is not based on faithfulness to Himself will end in disaster. Our Lord trusted no one, and never placed His faith in people, yet He was never suspicious or bitter. Our Lord’s confidence in God, and in what God’s grace could do for anyone, was so perfect that He never despaired, never giving up hope for any person. If our trust is placed in human beings, we will end up despairing of everyone.
