Included in our last Sundays readings was the famous chapter on love. In Paul’s letter to the congregation at Corinth, the apostle writes that “love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude, It does not insist on it’s own way.” Although love is set forth as an ideal, Paul’s teaching is not an ideology. It is a theology. And the theological theme is most clearly sounded in the letters of John, where we read: “God is love”!
This view of the way of God, and God’s people, is fulfilled in Jesus’ command to his disciples: "Love one another as I have loved you".
So what are we to think about Christians who arrogantly insist on their own way? Christians who follow an earthly ideology, and consider compromising their positions to be an abomination? What are we to say when a self-professed Christian obviously compromises discipleship to Jesus in order to follow, uncompromisingly, either a right wing or left-wing political ideology?
Jesus asks us to follow him. If we allow an ideology to have influence over our lives, are we not compromising our discipleship? Are we not allowing a politically allegiance to displace our allegiance to Jesus?
Christianity does call us to compromise. Jesus gives us the example when he compromised himself for our sakes. This is the example of love we are given. Too many are choosing a slavery to an ideology, and are seen as arrogant, impatient, and insisting on their own way.
Faithful discipleship to Jesus is based on compromising self-interest for the love of others. Isn’t it?
Think about it.
