Tag: love
Why Do We Love Our Enemies?
God has given us a command to “love our enemies.” But because the command is from God, we must believe it is not only a command to be blindly followed; it must also be, somehow,...
Love Stoops
Love is not a virtue unique to Christianity. The Greeks abided matters of love, and so did the Jews, and the Eastern dynasties, and nearly all the civilizations of antiquity found value in it. But...
‘I Would Rather Die Than Hate You.’
Martin Luther King, Jr., knew love isn’t just a means of redeeming our enemies; it’s a way of redeeming ourselves. Hatred can only lead to more hatred, but by injecting love, the chain of hatred...
How Do We Love Our Enemies?
Martin Luther King, Jr., said that Jesus’ command to “love your enemies” is “an absolute necessity for the survival of our civilization.” But how do we love our enemies? King gives us three ways. Look...
When Wicked Men Die, How Should Christians Respond?
I remember when I heard that Osama bin Laden had been killed. I was in my dorm room with friends. We heard cheering in the halls. We saw American flags unfurled outside our windows. We...
Arm’s-Length Prejudice and Real Respect
Imagine a guy who looks like a member of Hell’s Angels—tatted, scruffy, big-bearded, and all black leather—walks into a corporate headquarters in downtown Chicago. Think of a kid in a Bernie Sanders shirt that gives...
Wedding Vows
After my marriage to the love of my life last year, numerous people have commented on our vows and asked to see them. I’m happy to share them, because they really are beautiful and true...
Why the Church Needs to Care About Refugees
Through Moses, God ordered the Israelites to care for the aliens among them. The Israelites and the apostles were told to care for strangers. Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan. Every sermon you’ve...
Why the Church Has a Unique Role in Responding to Refugeeism
For thousands of years the people of God have been part of the ever-unfolding story of exiles and migrants in the world. We have been refugees, refugee-makers, and sources of refuge. This is no less...
Evangelism – Part 3: Love Is Evangelism
Welcome to a four-part series about what evangelism is and isn’t. In the first three pieces, I’ll look at why justice, ecumenism, and love are all components of evangelism. In the fourth piece, I’ll look...