Vulnerability on the Move
One of the scariest things we can do in a social and relational context is put ourselves out on a limb for another person. Think back to an encouraging text you sent someone just to be met with silence, a time you tried to comfort someone and they misunderstood your intent, or an invitation you offered that was rejected. Miscommunication, misunderstanding, defensiveness, and lack of history with a person can cause us to regret an interaction that was meant to be positive and loving. We end up feeling exposed, at risk, resentful, even a little silly or just embarrassed.
What are we to do after that interaction? We tried to be loving and it was not received well. We probably feel a little stung, a little hurt, a little angry, and a lot like not trying again. Most likely we will back off of our relationship with that person and wait a while before attempting to reach out to them!
But what would God have us do? Let’s take a look at 1 Peter 4:8:
“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”
The context for this verse is that Peter is writing to a people who are suffering persecution and charging them to be stewards of God’s grace. They are well-familiar with rejection, pain, betrayal, and accusations. Peter is reminding them to walk this earth as sojourners, as exiles. This is not their ultimate home, so they can hold their experiences with an open hand and with the hope that they will ultimately be at home with people who will never hurt them, never misunderstand them and never rebuff them.
Not only are these early Christians not to become bitter because of how they are being treated, but then they are to actually “love earnestly”! Peter is saying in this passage that there is a courage we can grasp that will help us to love others the way Jesus does - earnestly. We are to reach out in love to those around us in specific ways that reveal the beauty and power of the Kingdom.
Let’s examine this phrase, “love earnestly.” The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament describes this as stretching the will in eagerness, stretching a part of the body to accomplish an action, and the outstretching of a hand in friendship. Pastor Bryan Hurlbutt explained this in a sermon on 1 Peter (listen here).
When are we the most vulnerable? It is when we are stretched out. Think about an athlete in the middle of a play where they reach out to catch a ball - that is the moment when they are most open to someone pushing them over, or hitting them when they can’t protect themselves. This is how we are supposed to love. This is how Jesus showed His love to us.
Isn’t it beautiful when we have the freedom to love this way? We have the freedom to get hurt because we know the God who heals, comforts, and strengthens. The worst outcome is not my ego being bruised. The worst outcome is a strained or distant relationship because I’m too preoccupied with protecting myself to love others at full stretch. So knowing that we will look silly, we’ll be embarrassed, and we’ll be let down, let’s stretch out our hearts and our arms toward others eagerly and love with this vulnerable, earnest love.