As disciples of Christ, we’re instructed to examine the fruits of a person, especially those we let into our hearts. The healthy or unhealthy fruits of a person are their attitudes, words, and actions over time. The fruit they show us reveals the health and motive of their hearts. Their attitudes, words, and actions must be consistently healthy, or they are not healthy trees. Their fruit reveals their integrity, morals, and heart.
I loved Jesus and God with my whole heart. However, I hadn’t studied His word, so it wasn’t written and living in my mind. I had used my imperfect knowledge, experience, and faith beliefs about what love was in my relationships, which kept me in the cycle of abuse. Living in my flawed, broken definition of love kept me confused because it was not God and Christ’s pure definition and design of love.
If you struggle to understand Christ’s love, you are not alone. It took me over forty years and enduring three abusive marriages that ended in divorces to whole-heartedly surrender and see Christ’s love design. God helped me see His revelation in Scripture. Jesus showed me my life’s lessons, and he helped me write a clear success path to dwell in his pure love. My life is proof that when Jesus is your one true forever love, all things are possible!
Even some Christians believe that we are to let others hurt us in with the profession of love, but they are misguided. They’re confused about the difference between persecution and abuse. Jesus was persecuted, which brought physical abuse. However, persecution is defined as being subject to hostility and ill-treatment because of religious beliefs. Jesus chose to allow his persecution and abuse unto death only when it was time for him to be crucified.
If we are not taught what it means to follow Jesus, we often assume that Jesus will instantly tell us what to say and do to love like him. However, our assumptions are what leads to confusion, frustration, doubts about our faith, and even our salvation. In other words, we want to be a “good Christian,” but we are still acting like the selfish sin-focused world. Our wanting and wishing doesn’t change what we say and how we act. Only working with Jesus Christ every day transforms our hearts, minds, words, and actions into his likeness.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ and the truth of God show us Christ’s love that is beyond anything we can imagine. As his disciples, we can thrive in his love, even in the challenges of our lives. I would not have overcome three abusive marriages and divorces without Jesus. I would still be imprisoned in the cycle of domestic abuse.
But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.
2020 has taught us that we can only control our mindset, attitudes, beliefs, words, and personal actions. We have also realized that some natural destructive realities of living in a broken world can affect every aspect of our lives. However, as disciples of Christ, we must know and learn how to let Jesus use the challenges we face to show us his love, teach us, and strengthen our faith.
Some proclaiming “Christians” don’t realize they are instructed and responsible for learning to love others like Jesus. They don’t know where to begin because of their broken love design formed from their life experiences. Some proclaiming “Christians” believe they can treat people they don’t like or value or people they want to control with devilish attitudes, words, and actions. Any person proclaiming to be a Christian or Christ-follower must commit to following Jesus in every way. There is no middle ground.