Faith Words: Law vs Love

I made the call last night and sure enough I have to report for jury duty on Monday morning.  I knew I would but a part of me hoped I wouldn't.  It's not really being on a jury that bothers me.  I just don't like the interruption into my routine.  I get that card in the mail that's titled Jury Summons and I groan and think:  "Really?  Now?  I don't have time for this now!"  But whether I have time or not, I'll be there bright and early Monday morning for two reasons:  1.  It's a Constitutional right and privilege.  2.  It's the law.  And, honestly, it's that second reason that gets me in the car and to the courthouse more than the first reason.  Why?  I really don't want a peace officer showing up at my door because I didn't appear as summoned.

It's much the same in life.  We're faced with choices all day long, and a lot of the time, we choose to do the right thing because it's the law.  We stop at stop signs, we pay our bills, we abide by the law.  If we don't, a peace officer might just have to step in and make us.

As Christians, though, God holds us to a higher standard. Just obeying the law isn't enough.  For one thing, we've all shown that we're not very good at abiding by His law - all of it, all the time.  We try.  We may even try hard.  But we're all guilty of breaking at least some point of His law sometime. So, God gave us another way of living that keeps the heart of the law.  It's called love.

Living our lives in the light of love changes the way we see the world and those around us.  We see other people who, like us, need a Savior.  We see others who, like us, need kindness and gentleness instead of judgment.  We see what a privilege it is to show up when God summons us to reflect His love.  And instead of sending a peace officer to make us comply, God has sent us two things:  His Son to fulfill the requirements of the Law for us and His Spirit to help us fulfill the call to do His will in love.

I really am glad I live in a country where I get to be a part of a system that protects my rights. When we serve on a jury, our goal is to make sure that the person on trial is treated with equal justice under the law.  But I'm so much more thankful that I'm a part of the family of our Father God who protects me with His eternal love.  When we serve God, our goal is to make sure that the person we're serving is treated with the same unequaled love and mercy that we've received from our Father.

So I'll appear for jury duty and perhaps I'll get selected and serve on a jury.  If I do, I'll do my best to show the parties in the trial justice and fairness as prescribed by the law.  And each day, as God calls me to serve in His kingdom, I'll do my best by the power of the Spirit to serve in love because after all, it's a privilege and the law.  The law of love.

Learning to serve with love,

Patrice

Galatians 5:14 (NIV)

The entire law is summed up in a single command:  "Love your neighbor as yourself."