Perfect Love

Today. Today I wonder if perfect love reaches out the most to those who are wounded.

In my head I have an image of Jesus (whatever he looks like) and the 'good' are surrounding Him. They are smiling and carrying their Bibles and they've got really sweet cross necklaces. You know what I'm talking about, the ones that are made out of the two little nails. Right, the crosses that remind us of what Jesus suffered. Good. I'm glad we're on the same page. The 'good' are cracking up and singing praise songs and waving their little hands in the air all around Him. He looks around at his troupe and smiles. Surrounding this group of the 'good' is another group, still His and still hopelessly cynical. They're the 'bad'. No, no, they're not the 'evil', that's different. This the group who want Jesus as much as, and if not more than, the 'good'. They want what he says to be real, tangible, and rampant in this world. They desperately want the Church to be something other than a poster-child for hypocrisy, sin, and idolatry. They want love--pure, passionate, life-changing love. God's love. Jesus' love. But look, they've been pushed out by the 'good'. Why? Look at them. They're obviously not up to par. Clearly they're against following the good old fashioned rules. Look at them. They seem to think it's okay to smoke and drink and laugh violently. God hasn't eradicated all of their sins yet. So the 'good' get together to teach the 'bad' a lesson. No love for them. Just painful truths about how they're not living up to the standard of the 'good'. They're spurned. Spurned by the 'good', those who should love the most. So the 'bad' stand on the outside. They're angry, confused, cynical, hating their brothers and sisters but trying to love Jesus. They're wounded.

And all the hand waving and loud singing of the 'good' cannot distract Jesus from the fact that His bride is broken. Raped of her unity by Pride. Accosted by Hate, Jealousy, Self-righteousness, and Fear. She plugs up Love so that it cannot escape the boundaries of her body. No one may have it, no one may receive it unless they take the right steps and say the magic words and don that cross necklace. Now you're clean! Now you're worthy of love! Congratulations. Jesus loves you now that you follow Him.

So the 'bad' stand there on the outskirts. They want Jesus, they want the New Testament church at the beginning of Acts, they want that all-consuming fire, but not at the price of fitting in with the 'good'. Screw that to hell.

Do you see what's in my head? There's just no way that perfect love holes itself up with the 'good' people because it's apparent that there are other people in the world who desperately need perfect love. Everyone needs perfect love. And I have a feeling that perfect love reaches out more for the broken, the wounded, the hopelessly cynical, the person who sins in all those ways we're so familiar with. Because they need it. Because they don't want a pat on the back for their impeccable service record, but because they need perfect love. God's love. Love that strives to meet needs no matter what the cost.