China Made Me: John 15
The Stretching Process
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“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
John 15:2
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John 15- a verse that is permeated through every sphere of Christian living. Yet today, I would like to offer my own experience in these words today.
To begin, I believe that everyone has a physical body, but there is also a spiritual body- a holy temple, that is born of the spirit (John 3 and Nicodemus). But our spiritual bodies are not contained within our physical bodies, but can grow beyond its borders. Now as we experience growth in our spirits, through testing, purging, trials, and love, there is also a stretching process that occurs. Just like any physical stretch, it is uncomfortable, slightly painful, and feels utterly long. But, it is important, because without it, our muscles would tighten up like a rock and be limited in growth and expansion. In the same way, our spiritual bodies must be stretched.
In my Blessed K-Group, we discussed this stretching process. The question arose: Is it true love if you have to push yourself to offer an act of kindness to someone? If I have to force myself to give someone a ride, is that true love? If I must be intentional about offering edifying comments to my brother, is that false love? When I stretch myself to love beyond what I am normally capable of, is that a pseudo-love?
The conclusion was given: Sometimes, we must force and condition ourselves to love others even when we don’t feel like it. And when I do so, I am stretching my spiritual muscles so that the forced acts of kindness now would be easy and natural in the future.
Jesus never said, love your neighbor only when you feel like it. He simple stated that we must do it all of the time, because it pleases His heart. And when we begin to love one another and stretch ourselves beyond what the standard love requires, then a true love would be apparent that would seem alien to those on the outside of the church. Once we condition ourselves to love, then we would be conditioned to love those outside the church as well.
thats tight.