Have you ever wondered if being right could lead you down the wrong path? It's a question that challenges the fabric of our convictions and the way we engage with the world around us. In our efforts to be correct—whether in academia, legal battles, or moral stances—we often prize correctness above all. But is there something we're sacrificing in the process?
This week, we dove deep into the message to the Church in Ephesus from Revelation 2. This church had it all: doctrinal purity, endurance, and a zero-tolerance policy for evil. Yet, they received a sobering critique: they had forsaken their first love. They were doing the right things but had lost their initial passion for Christ and each other.
It's a stark reminder that our actions, no matter how correct, lose their meaning without love. Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 13 echo this sentiment, emphasizing that without love, even the greatest deeds amount to nothing. The Ephesians were commended for their staunch adherence to truth but were called out for letting their love grow cold.
So, how do we maintain this balance? Jesus’s counsel to the Ephesians gives us a roadmap: Remember, repent, and do the works you did at first. It’s about going back to the basics of our faith, where love and actions were intertwined.
Here's a challenge for us: Can we reflect on a time when our faith felt most alive, most vibrant? What actions did we take that were not only right but were also done in love? How can we reintroduce these into our daily walk with Christ?
Let this reflection guide you this week. It's not just about being right but about being right in a way that reflects the love and grace of Jesus. Let's strive to be a community that holds truth in one hand and love in the other, never forgetting that the two must go together to fully represent Christ to the world.