Yesterday I watched the events that took place in Washington D.C. as the country paused
for a short while looking back on the life, legacy and love of Rev. Dr. King. Fifty years since the March on Washington dignitary after dignitary and speaker after speaker commented on where we have come from as a country in the last Fifty years. Many commented on our success while others challenged our short comings and pointed out our failures. While I was watching I began to ask myself how is success truly measured, and how is success determined?
Almost immediately the term Koinonia came to mind. Koinonia. is a Greek word that occurs 20 times in the Bible. Koinonia’s primary meaning is “fellowship, sharing in common, communion.”
At the root of the word is love and being in loving relationships with one another. I believe just as Christ did, just as the disciples did also that we measure our life, faith, and success by how much we love and grow in that love. God is love! Here these challenging words from 1st John 4:16-21.(NIV)
16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
Therefore in closing I leave verse 20 for us to reflect on "
20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen." In the Musical RENT there is a song that ask how do you measure a year. The song Seasons of Love ask like this:
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes,
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Moments so dear.
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights
In cups of coffee,
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.
In five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
How do you measure
A year in the life?
How about love?
How about love?
How about love? Measure in love
Seasons of love. Seasons of love?
The song says that your measure a year in love! How do you measure success, faith, a fulfilling life? In love. As the country paused yesterday to evaluate our success over the past Fifty years, I would challenge us and say we can on consider ourselves successful if our LOVE for one another has increased. Has our love for our neighbor, our co-worker, our youth and elders increased? As a nation have we grown in love, as a world have we grown in love? Have we grown in love or have we been lying to ourselves? Perhaps this is a more personal question, but each persons answer effects the entire community, indeed the entire world. Success= Love! I believe Dr. King would also agree with me for indeed his DREAM was rooted in Koinonia- love for one another.
May the peace of God be with you, and the love of Christ be in, while the gifts of the Holy Spirit guide you all this weekend. Be Well.
Love Pastor Sirchester.
1 comment:
Great word. I truly understand the meaning of "Koinonia". I now see how the root of the word connects with what the scripture says and what DR. MLK vision was. Thank you!
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