House Rule #1 – step down from the pedestal

I have a question for you. If you were to write a short description of how we ought to relate with one another in Christ’s family, where would you start? What do you consider the starting point for Christ-like love? Where does “love without hypocrisy” begin in a person’s life?

Our Master has not left us to have to figure this our for ourselves. First He gave us His own perfect life as the example to follow — “A new commandment I give to you. Love one another as I have loved You.” (John 13:34) And second, He had His apostles provide us with lots of clear, specific instructions in their letters to the churches. In their letters to us, the apostles have defined the “house rules” for the family of God. Every household has rules. God’s family is no different. He has standards for how He expects us to relate with one another in His household (which is what we are). If we are going to truly follow Jesus by doing what He says, we must familiarize ourselves with these instructions.

Perhaps the two most significant passages (in their sheer breadth) in the New Testament regarding
the “house rules” are Romans 12 and Ephesians 4. They both give us the big picture of “why”, and they get very specific in telling us “how”. These are two passages that every Christ-follower ought to be intimately familiar with. Both contain a lot of individual instructions, none of which are prioritized above any other. The implication seems to be that they are all important. The absence of any one of them leaves our love for one another lacking — incomplete.

One thing that I find fascinating about these passages is that they both start with the same instruction. Paul doesn’t tell us that it is the most important instruction, but he lists it first in each passage. I am, therefore, calling it “house rule #1″. Not because it is most important, but because it is the one that Paul gives us first. That must be significant. After calling on the believers to give themselves completely to live in a manner worthy of their calling (Rom 12:1-2, Eph 4:1), Paul says . . .

“I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think” (in Romans 12:3), and more succinctly “With all humility . . . .” (Ephesians 4:2)

Think about that . . . . Is that where you would start explaining to people how to truly love others? As he is about to launch into an amazingly beautiful and detailed description of how God intends for His household to view and relate with one another, this is where He starts — be completely humble. Don’t be proud. Have an accurate view of yourself. Don’t be full of yourself. Remove yourself from the pedestal.

The more I think about it, the more sense it makes. What so often gets in the way of our willingness to do what it takes to love others? Ourselves! What I want. What I think I deserve. My comfort. My pleasure. Why do we so easily get upset with one another? I don’t deserve to be treated that way! You can’t do that to me, say that about me, displease me, get in my way of what I want! My opinions are right, my perceptions are right, my assumptions are right, my interpretation of all that has occurred between us is right, my understanding of your motives is right. We are so proud. We are so full of ourselves. It is at the very heart of our sin against God, and yes, it is also at the very heart of our sin against one another. We have placed ourselves on a pedestal, and everything in our little worlds revolves around us.

This is House Rule #1 in the family of Christ. I’ve got to step down off of the pedestal. It is not about me. It’s about Christ. We are His body. It’s not about my rights. I have none. It’s not about what I deserve. That has already been settled at the cross, thank God, or I’d be in hell right now. It’s not about what I want. It’s about what my Master wants of me. It’s not about what I feel like, or what makes me comfortable. It’s about what my Master feels and what pleases Him. And here is what He wants me to do — He wants me to love you.

I do not know if it is the starting point, but I am convinced that it is awfully close. How successful we are at loving one another as Christ loves us depends to a large degree on how much we are willing to humble ourselves. Think about it . . . if I take myself out of the picture, I can love you now matter what happens, and no matter how you respond. By this one trait alone, we would mark ourselves as a people that the rest of the world would be shocked by — true humility. Look at Christ — our perfect model of this. He emptied Himself. And because He rid Himself of His own rights, and agenda, and deservedness, He was free to do exactly what His Father asked Him to, completely, and without reservation. He was love in action. He took Himself out of the picture, and if we are to follow in His footsteps, we must do the same.

So ask yourself the question — how much of my life revolves around me? In my relationships with others, how much of what I do and do not do revolves around how they treat me, how they do at giving me what I want, how fun/pleasant/satisfying it is to me, how it feels to me, how comfortable it is for me, how far I should have to go, how much it costs me, whether it is fair to me, what others might think of me?

Who is on your pedestal? Christ stepped down off of His to love you. Are you willing to do the same to love your brothers and sisters in Christ?