There has to be more...

 As I have been trying to finish up Crazy Love over the past couple of days, something I have been told and aware of for most of my Christian life has sort of "sunk" in and become very real and convicting to me.  I  feel like I have been so consumed with showing kindness to others  and staying away from worldly habits for so long in order to look like a "good christian" (whatever that is) that I have missed out on how God wants me to value others no matter what they may or may not have to offer me. Because I have always tried to look like the "good Christian girl" by just being friendly, Francis Chan's words were something I really needed to hear.

" I think sometimes we assume that if we are nice, people will know we are Christians and want to know more about Jesus. But it really doesn't work that way.  I know a lot of people who didn't know Christ and are really nice people. ....There has to be more to our faith than friendliness, politeness, and even kindness. "

He then went on to share some verses in Luke Chapter 6, some which include "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that." From my experience, I know it is often too easy for me to be overly nice to someone who I know will for example "return the kindness." Quite contrary, I know even more than that I am not motivated to love those and reach out to those who will not give me anything in return. I am so convicted by this because I know that this is the kind of love that the Lord has graciously bestowed upon me. God sent His only son and Jesus died for no reason other than the fact that he loved me. He knew that I couldn't give Him anything in return, still He chose to die the most terrible death imaginable because He loved unconditionally, something that is radical by the world's standards and expected by Jesus. Realizing that I fail over and over again to show this love to others, I am more grateful than ever that Jesus freely offered me this love. This has caused me look forward to the time I spend learning from the perfect teacher more than ever before. I pray that I could continue to grow more dependent on His word each day!

I apologize if this post was hard to follow, I just learn even so much more about my Savior when I try to write out the things He is showing me in my life!