In the beginning there was an idea. It wasn't our idea. The idea stemmed from the Creator of all things. Being relational, God let His idea come to fruition. This idea, to create people who would love their Creator, was a good idea. It is a good idea. But it was not the only idea.
Some may have assumed the idea's next part. Because we were made in the image of One who loves, we were also intended to love one another. This idea was also good. And it makes sense. If we love our Creator and understand that He meets all our needs, we are then set loose to freely give of the love born in us.
In theory, these ideas can work together seamlessly, with the creation crying out to the Creator. This alone should fill us up. At the same time, we can express unique qualities given to us by a very imaginative Creator. After all, we are better off when each part of the body does as intended. "This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other."1
What Happened to the Great Idea?
These are great ideas. And yet...
We do not always see all creation caring for one another. Of course this is nothing new. We can read history and see that it did not take long for the Creator's idea to be marred. We messed up early and often when we should have been finding our fulfillment in what the Creator was giving us. When we failed at that, it didn't take long for us to turn on one another.
Every generation since the beginning of this idea has seen the same bad choices made, over and over. The suffering of creation only multiplies as the hurt continues to grow. "If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad." 2
Every Idea Since has the Same Dilemma
The Creator was not absent or inactive, even as He watched His idea in the hands of those who would mistreat it. Unwilling to see a problem with no solution, the Creator stepped into His own creation, offering Himself as a sacrifice to fix our brokenness. In fact, He succeeded, although the complete fix waits until a later time.
In reality, what the Creator did was to continue creating in the midst of His creation. He called us to once again realize the initial purpose for which we were made. Love our Creator. Find our fulfillment in Him. Out of our completeness and wholeness, we were reminded of our ability to love one another.
When the Idea Does Not Work
Every idea which stems from the original idea will experience missteps. There will be moments when institutions fail to represent the idea to the fullness they originally hoped for. This is to be expected. After all, every group consists of individuals, all blemished and limited in their understanding of the great original idea. Even as understanding grows, practice will continue to struggle.
Should we give up the idea to love one another? Should our continual stumbling cause us to reject the idea altogether? Should we assume every part opposes the idea when even one part fails to adhere to it? Because all failed to live up to the lofty standard to love God and love one another, should we consider the idea a miserable failure?
The rational answer to each of the above questions is an unequivocal 'no.' After all, if the idea were one that had no merit, the Creator could easily have given up on it shortly after putting it in place.
What Now Shall We Do?
Given that the Creator thought the idea worthwhile to see it continue, how should we respond to the brokenness we see, both inside and out? The call to love is high, greater than any other action and loftier than any other thought. Failure to adhere perfectly is expected, though not assumed.
Speaking in poetic prose, the Apostle Paul reminds us that 'love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." 3 Every institution will live this out imperfectly.
But that does not mean we should ever stop trying.
1 1 Corinthians 12:25
2 1 Corinthians 12:26
3 1 Corinthians 13:7
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