“You belong here. We’ve been waiting so long. We’ve been waiting so long.” - “You Belong Here” by Leagues Do you know what it feels like to be the prodigal? Do you know the sweet relief that comes with being welcomed home? Have you ever convinced yourself you didn’t belong, that you weren’t worth belonging? We have each been the sheep who strays from the fold. We still feel it in our depths as we sing the old familiar hymn: Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love. James closes his letter by addressing the wanderers. “My brothers (and sisters!), if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20) The Church is called a family for a reason. We are in this together. We are one another’s protectors. When we see a loved one slipping away, lured by a world of lies and sin, it is our duty and our privilege to call out to her. To remind her that she is loved. To remind her of her worth. To remind her that she belongs here with us. To simply judge one another’s actions would be a profound misunderstanding of James’ words. To strong-arm our sister into obedience or conformity would be vastly missing the mark. The call is to bring her back home. Like the father who ran toward his weary, wayward son, our driving force should be love. Not judgement, not pride, but gospel-filled love. We need each other. The book of James is not just a list of instructions, it is an instrument of grace to guide us along our way and help us guide one another. This type of loving pursuit can only be done in the spirit and context of community. This calling out to the one who has lost her way can on only be done in truth. The stakes are high - it is a matter of life and death. But the reward is great, both for the wanderer who returns and for the one who welcomes him home.
Posted on: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 11:41:08 +0000
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