Crazy Love

"When you love someone, you'll do anything. You'll do all the crazy things that you can't explain."

I used to really like this song, and it popped into my head the other day. I was praying for my friends here, praying that God would change their hearts and open their eyes. Praying Romans 8:21, that they would be liberated from bondage and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. I love these people. I want to see them live free and satisfied, with passion and purpose. I love them so much it hurts.

When I came here almost two years ago, I was hoping to like the place, enjoy the work, make some good friends, and see God work in miraculous ways. I wasn't expecting to fall in love with a group of people. I wasn't expecting God to change my heart in the way he has. I wasn't expecting to learn more than I could ever teach anyone. And I definitely wasn't expecting this crazy love.

Why is it crazy? It's crazy because it's completely opposite of the kind of love I am used to. I am used to loving my family. They are easy to love. They loved me first. They treat me great. They do all kinds of things for me. I love God. He is easy to love. He loved me first. He takes care of me. He has given me life and all good things. That kind of love is normal and natural.

This love is crazy because most of these people are never going to love me back. They can't love me back. They don't even know what love is. Most of these people will never have any idea that I live for the opportunity to share with them how they can have life. If they did, most would think I am nuts. Maybe I am. Or maybe it's the rest of the world that is nuts. Maybe that thing we have been calling love for so long really isn't love. Maybe this crazy love is the real thing. I am starting to think it is.

Romans 5:8 says God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. That's how God demonstrates love. That's crazy. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us to demonstrate God's love. He died for a bunch of people who didn't love him back. He died for a bunch of people that didn't even understand him. He gave his life for a bunch of sinners like you and me. That's love. That's crazy love. That's the kind of love I am just starting to learn about.

I know I can't love these students quite like God loves me, but I'm going to try. And everytime I am misunderstood, or rejected, or heartbroken, I am going to remember our example, Jesus, who gave his life in the ultimate demonstration of crazy love. That's the only kind of love God has, the crazy kind. Maybe we could be a little crazier.

The cube

3 a.m. on a random tuesday. I just got off the phone with an old friend. When I say old, I'm talking I haven't conversed with this guy in maybe 15 years. We had a lot of catching up to do. Our paths haven't crossed in quite some time, but it's amazing how similar they have been. It's awesome how God brings people into our lives at certain times, and how he uses situations that we have experienced to connect us with others on this same journey. I have been thinking about it, and its like life is a giant rubik's cube. We are each sitting on a little colored square, wondering why we keep spinning and shifting, seemingly with no rhyme or reason at times. We have no idea what's going on on the other side of the cube, or that in just a moment we will be on that other side. Or maybe the other side will be next to us. The thing is, things often looked jumbled up and out of place, but there's one who knows the steps. He is working the solution, and sooner than we think, all will be righted in this twisted world.

We have a God who is sovereign over screwups like me. He is going to twist my world, and sometimes it will seem upside down, but through it all I know he is putting everything in line, in its proper place and time. It makes me smile. It makes me cry. It gives me hope. I gives me joy. So I will keep on dancing on my little square. Come dance with me.