My caterpillars are changing into butterflies. They crawl to the lid, stretch out and slowly form a hard skin over their entire self. I've been watching the process closely. It is in many ways like dying. They were voraciously hungry in the days prior. But they've lost interest in food. They are compelled to climb and let go of everything they've done to this point.
Easter is drawing near.
We've entered the 3 holy days leading up to Easter where Christians everywhere follow the final days of Jesus. A meal with his friends. Praying in a garden. An unjust trial. A long walk with a heavy post. Nails and final words. Darkness.
On this day we focus on the final meal and final sermon that Jesus shared with his closest followers.
A good part of the gospel of John recounts the final teaching of Jesus before leaving his disciples and heading to the cross. But they could be summarized in the line at the end:
"Love each other as I have loved you. "
Not as we love ourselves.
But as he has loved us.
Christianity can be summed up in these 8 words.
All the fine points of theology or debates between denominations stand silent before this command. None of us can dispute it. None of us can achieve it and yet, Jesus chose these words to be the final sermon.
And so, tonight Christians join the disciples around the table. Listening to Jesus. Eating the last supper. washing each others feet. So we should let these words, his last teaching, send us into the world.
Tomorrow, Good Friday, we stand witness to the passion of the cross knowing that deep love held him there. The type of love he calls us to carry to each other. May we be inspired in our own tiny worlds to live a bit more like Christ.
To forgive those who wrong us.
To have compassion on those who are hurting.
To call out those who need to turn their lives in a new direction.
These things take courage. Sometimes deep courage. It is hard to break patterns to love someone more deeply. It takes vulnerability and the possibility that we may get hurt. It is easier to live business as usual and not step into the type of love Jesus calls us to. Even with the people we love the most. Our spouse, parents, siblings, children. It is hard to love even them with the courage of Christ's love. Let alone people at work, parents at drop off, teachers, neighbors, that super toxic guy with the loud truck. Even him. How can we, this day, love as Christ has loved us?
But perhaps a bigger question might be, what will it take for me to live a life of loving the way Christ did? What stumbling blocks or fears lay in my heart... what desires or priorities prevent me from living a life of love?
I am going to challenge myself with this. I'm going to pull out my bullet journal and when I consider my plans and priorities for the next few months, I am going to add "love like Jesus" to the top of the list and next to every other item I'm going to add a second to do which is how I will do that thing in a way that loves like Jesus.
"Plan kids summer" - love like Jesus
"Eddie's graduation" - love like Jesus
"Plant the garden" - love like Jesus
"Sunday school lesson"
"Work audit"
"Laundry"
Yes, laundry. I can promise there is a way to do laundry that is NOT loving and a way that is.
As I soften my heart and look at these real examples I can start to see where there is a difference between just going through life and v intentionally living my faith in each of the major spheres of my life. And I think it's more than just "not yelling at the kids" It's a deeper selflessness. Taking a harder way. Living with greater honesty. Having a deeper compassion. And perhaps, some things come off the list all together to make more space for those things that allow me to love well. Because, I am, in fact, limited in time and energy and love is expensive. It takes lots of both. Especially Christ like love.
This post will continue as I wrestle it out in the pages of my planner.
As you journey into these holy days, may you encounter Christ in a new way or uncover a new insight into your faith journey that calls you deeper.
We don't figure this out all at once. It is a process of being made and remade again and again through the seasons of life. Don't give up on God or on yourself. Keep journeying on knowing that many others are on same and different journeys. It is a journey worth taking even when it feels hard.
The caterpillars die to life as a caterpillar to gain wings.
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