We are All Broken

This is a phrase that's come to my mind, for about six months. Everybody's broken. Some of us are well aware of the rampant brokenness. Some see it easily in others, but not in ourselves. Some see it profoundly in ourselves, but not in others. But the fact remains, and our acknowledgement of that truth will affect how we treat and respond to ourselves and others. 

"Love your neighbor as you love yourself" - I've heard this scripture my whole life. Early in my life I thought it meant relationship love, and I thought how is that possible? I can't have a close relationship with everyone. Later in life I decided it must mean loving acts like nourishing physically and spiritually, and showing kindness. When I tied it to 1 Corinthians' definition of love, it became more of an attitude toward others that naturally prompts those loving acts. For a good while in later years, I struggled with loving myself, which led me to the question, am I really loving others, if I'm supposed to love them as I love myself but I don't love myself? Am I a fake? 

Currently a couple of ladies and I are studying Paul's letters. We finished discussing Galatians today, and there I was again, Galatians 5:14. Funny thing is, I hadn't been focusing on that particular verse in my study; I was more focused on what it is to use your freedom to serve one another in love. (That's a big fat tangent I will avoid for the moment.) When I see the "love your neighbor" scripture is wrapped in talk of serving and freedom, I see it differently. (Could it be that God shows us different layers of scripture as we need it or as we are ready to receive it?)

Paul talks a lot about freedom in this letter. We were called to live in freedom, not under the law and commandments. Yet many of us cling to our own works as a way to earn our salvation. Galatians 2:21 says that if keeping the law could make us right with God, there was no need for Christ to die. To grasp that, I must grasp my own brokenness and inability to earn salvation, and accept the grace that Christ offers. That is freedom. It doesn't mean go out there and do whatever, because it's all good with the Lord. It means that when I do fall, I can give myself grace because I know that He already has. Loving another as I love myself means that I offer that grace to others, assume their best intentions, and help them carry their burden. If I'm focused on the fact that they aren't living a pure and blameless lifestyle, I cannot love them anymore than someone who focuses on all my faults and failures, can love me. We are all. Broken. 

No one who is living in a pit of sin, saw a sign that said, "This Way to a Pit", and followed it. They made choices that seemed good at the time, or they made the choice to try to do life themselves without the Lord, and here they are. That doesn't render a person unloveable. That person needs a Savior as much as I do. If I have connection with that person, why shouldn't I share His love? 

I know deep in my heart that I am broken, and I will be until Christ comes. But thankfully, He loves me anyway, and he has bought my freedom. I will continue to make mistakes, but I'll do my best with what I've been given to get that point across to other broken souls...until Christ comes.

Photo by Anne Nygårdon Unsplash