In my inbox this morning was the challenging gospel defining quote from John Stott.  From his book, Christian Mission in a Modern World he writes:

We are sent into the world, like Jesus, to serve. For this is the natural expression of our love for our neighbours. We love. We go. We serve. And in this we have (or should have) no ulterior motive. True, the gospel lacks visibility if we merely preach it, and lacks credibility if we who preach it are interested only in souls and have no concern about the welfare of people’s bodies, situations and communities. Yet the reason for our acceptance of social responsibility is not primarily in order to give the gospel either a visibility or a credibility it would otherwise lack, but rather simple uncomplicated compassion. Love has no need to justify itself. It merely expresses itself in service whenever it sees need. 

Stott’s words remind me that I don’t love my neighbor as I love myself in order to get the gospel into their heart but because loving my neighbor is the outworking of the gospel in my heart. I love my neighbor because I have been richly loved first and foremost by my Heavenly Father.  Therefore, loving my neighbor isn’t to be a means to a gospel end, but rather it is a gospel means to a loving end.  Elsewhere Stott says (as does the apostle John) that you can’t be truly converted to God unless you are converted to your neighbor.  Easier said than done, as often the conversion work that needs to happen is in my own life when it comes to my neighbors.  “Lord remind me of your great love for me when I have a difficult time loving my neighbor.  Help me to see them as you see them and to love them as you love them.  Amen.”

Posted via email from BRETT EUBANK