Honoring our relationships

So, then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands. At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace. He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death. Christian Standard Bible (Ephesians 2:11–16).

Through direct action or neglect, we have all harmed and been harmed by those whom we identify as “not like us”. So we tend to associate with people who share our outlook and values. Everyone not like us, is on their own. We have nothing against them personally, but we have to look out for our own people. Our lack of meaningful identification with outsiders is the heart of our strife and conflict with members of different social classes, ethnic groups, and nations. 

But God faced our conflict with him and one another by sacrificing his Only Son, Jesus Christ, to provide for our restoration to his family and our reconciliation with each other. And God calls all of us to follow his lead. 

Loving our enemies in honor of God’s love for them is a true sacrifice. Every offense against any of the components of our personal and family identity, or social values, is a real threat to our sense of security and status. Even so, in Christ, we are called to voluntarily sacrifice our received identity, family honor, and personal ambitions, in fulfillment of our ultimate identification with God, as his servants, for the reconciliation and well being of others. 

Sacrificially spending our lives on others is crucial to being faithful agents of God’s peace and reconciliation. If our sacrificial service to God is going to be whole, authentic, and beneficial to others, we will suffer loss, shame, and grief. Just like Jesus did, for us, on the cross.