"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."
1 Corinthians 1:18
Have you ever had a friendship that no one understood? You know, one of those friendships that stands the test of time, you can depend on each other no matter what, there's an understanding that exists beyond words and love that will outlive this lifetime? Maybe you don't have a friend, but a significant other that fits this description? Sister? Brother? Cousin?
Have people ever asked you how you do it? Have you ever had people try to understand how the relationship worked? Or maybe you're the outsider looking in?
This is what our relationship to God looks like to people who don't have one. Our relationship with God can be so pure, so full of love, power, and understanding that people who don't have one can't understand it. It just doesn't make sense to them. How can you be so happy? So trusting? So dependent on God? How is your faith so strong? Sometimes it could look too good to be true.
Conversely, if our relationship with God looks more like that dysfunctional relationship that we all have seen, that makes us happy that we are single we'll certainly have a harder time convincing people that living a life with God, is better than a life without Him.
The fact of the matter is, none of us are created to live in isolation. God created us with a biological need for companionship. So we'll always be looking for a friend, a spouse or any connection to another human being that we can relate to. The same is true for our souls.
Our inner man craves a connection to something greater than itself. Some connect with nature, or "Mother Earth". Others may recognize that this physical reality is not the only plane we exist in, and choose to live their life more "spiritually". In truth, our souls crave to be reconnected with our Father, but we don't all intrinsically know that, so we search for a fit.
As believers we have to be living a life that helps to illustrate the "fit" every soul is looking for. As believers we are called to love everyone unconditionally, even if we feel it makes us look "foolish".
What do I mean?
Matthew 5:44 says:
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;"
To anyone not a believer this sounds undoable. Not necessarily because it's impossible to do, but because who wants to? Who wants to be nice to people who are perpetually unkind to us? Who wants to speak well of people who talk bad about us? Who wants to love those who hate us? Yet God has called us to do just that, and because we love Him, we obey His commandments.
When we obey His commandments we are showcasing unconditional love the way Christ loves the church and in so doing demonstrating God's power here on earth.
You see how that works?
There are plenty of other commandments that we can use, that to the naked eye, just don't make sense, however because we trust God, we choose to follow Him anyway. Besides, God does warn us in Isaiah 55:8 :
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord."
If we knew the why of everything than, we wouldn't need God and God knows in His infinite wisdom that we couldn't handle knowing everything anyway.
God has a plan for every single one of our lives. He knows where we have to go, what steps we have to take to be the best version of ourselves. We just have to be prepared to look a little silly sometimes to get there.
Are you willing?
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."
Jeremiah 29:11