By Lisa S. Tarno

“Watch out for the Christian who spends more time telling you what she is against rather than what she is for.” ~ Kristi Mclelland

I love that this author has once again challenged my thinking to be more FOR the good things than AGAINST all the bad things. There’s an energy exchange here that is worth investigating. If we, as Christians, really want to make a positive impact on this world, to really bring the kingdom of God to earth as it is in heaven, what does that look like? She writes, “It’s hard to minister to someone or something when you feel against them. If the world feels adversarial to you, you will tend to avoid it, judge it, and lack empathy for the people living in darkness.” ~Kristi Mclelland

Making a positive impact on the world today involves creating, building, sharing, blessing, encouraging, meeting needs and thus making a positive impact. Mclelland teaches, “Rather than fighting darkness, they [the early church] simply brought light. Rather than protesting hunger, they simply fed the poor. Rather than raging against sickness, they offered compassion and aid.” Yes! Yes! And a resounding Yes! This is something I totally get behind. 

She teaches these two ideas: that being AGAINST something is actually passive and being FOR something is active. There are plenty of people sitting on the sidelines complaining and letting everyone know exactly what they are AGAINST. It’s the easy way out. Conversely, being For something is active. When we are FOR something, there is no sitting around…we do something to help. Being FOR something will take effort and intention. We see a need and we meet a need. 

Really, we all should be FOR the things God is FOR and ultimately He is FOR us loving one another as we love ourselves. Jesus summed up the Ten Commandments when asked what was the greatest commandment. “Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your souls and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matt. 22:34-40

Christians should be known by their love…how is that going these days? Our country is so divided and angry these days. There is so much finger pointing and judgement happening. We were never called to judge because that is God’s job and His alone because He does it perfectly. Yet at the same time when I am loving others and their choices are against the things of God, I don’t have to agree with their choices to still love them. Loving is not the same as being in agreement. Maybe we speak the truth in love to them or wait for the right time. Maybe, in the mean time,  we just love them despite their behavior. Loving others very much so includes praying for them to see God’s truth and live in that freedom and light. We can still show respect, honor and kindness whether or not we agree on things. We can still meet needs as they arise and do it with wisdom and love. 

May we reconsider how we want to come across to others…what legacy we want to leave with this world…what positive impact we can have on it!