Are you the honey or the sting?
What’s the first thing that pops into your head when you think of bees? I’m betting that beestings and that infamous scene from Tommy Boy pop in your head and then in a distant third place you may think of honey. Ok so what’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word “Christian?” If I were to ask someone outside of church culture that question I’m betting some adjectives would include judgmental, narrow minded, and then maybe in a distant third place people may say something about love, maybe. All to often people relate Christians to the sting created by our lack of love in practice. If honey is the “fruit” produced by a beehive that is functioning normally then love should be the fruit produced by a church functioning normally.
Honey has been used as an antiseptic, an energy booster, a preservative and a tasty treat among other things. Just like the sweetness of honey, the work of Jesus on the Cross and the love Christ endured to take on that task is as sweet as honey. The love of Christ is the job of the Church to reflect into the world. John 13:34-35 says “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Jesus isn’t suggesting or even politely asking us to love one another, he commands it. So just as a beehive works in perfect unity, harmony and perhaps even love to produce honey, we as the church should do the same and love one another so that the world is drawn to our sweetness and not scared away by our sting. Are you the honey or the sting?
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