The Power of Love ☀
A local conservative Christian radio talk show features a segment every week that’s titled “What would you say?”. In it, he cues an audio clip of a notable “liberal” speaking something buffoonish. Thereafter, he solicits audience phone calls to provide the best response. The winner is then awarded a prize pack of goodies.
In the most recent instance, Sarah Silverman’s comments on marriage were featured. Afterwards, the host tore into her reasoning, but attacking her arguments by the morality standards of her own worldview. He definitely scored some points, at least from a bystander viewpoint based on an objective logician frame of reference.
Immediately after he shares his take, a caller phones in and challenges the host on his reasoning in the matter. The caller declares his background and training in apologetics and then proceeds to instruct the host on how his rationale is all in vain. That he’s speaking past the audience that is desperate need of hearing the message — that no amount of awe stunning logic is going to sway those seeped in the way of the world and contemporary culture. All that can be done, is just to share the gospel, and continue on in the quest of Christianization.
But from my vantage point, both host and caller are terribly ill-founded. Yes, both are correct within the narrow realm of their thinking — undoubtedly, I found myself nodding in agreement to both sentiments — one, that people with divergent worldviews require conveyance in their own lingo and metaphors and two, it’s utterly impossible (excluding the rare gifted individual that can persuade any human to bend to his will) to conduce another to a like-minded assessment on the basis of pure reason alone.
However, tragically as brothers in Christ, both miss the larger, more consequential frame. Love. Acts of sacrificial love. Kind behavior not rooted in reciprocity. Good deeds, done with no expectant return, showered onto fellow beings. Heart piercing exploits that defy and transcend any barriers of worldly sense.
Some will say that such behavioral stratagems are complete folly, a fool’s errand. But it’s truly the only force powerful enough to puncture evil, hate, injustice, darkness, etc.…. Just look at the model Jesus displayed — “love your enemies, bless them that curse you”. Throughout history, a few radical individuals strived to walk that path. Gandhi. Martin Luther King. Mother Teresa. They touched and inspired so many, and brought light into darkness, via such conduct. The story of the growth of early Christianity offers a vivid exemplification — people of the way giving, sharing, loving fellow brothers and sisters, without any expectation of return favor. It literally is the embodiment of Jesus pronouncement of the mustard seed as a model for the kingdom of God.
