A Call to Genuine Love
It was late one afternoon, and two of my youngest children had been arguing for most of the day. To say it was a fraught-filled day is not an embellishment. At my wits end, I stood the two before me, and I proclaimed that they were going to “hug it out.” They proceeded to wrap their arms around each other with scowls on their faces and no good will in their hearts. As they stood there grimacing, I slowly realized that my attempt to manufacture a display of love between the two siblings was simply that—a half-hearted display. In that moment, at the end of a long day of fighting, a sincere reflection of love was incredibly hard to come by.
Early the next morning, as I was working around the house, I heard two voices bantering back and forth. As I poked my head into the room, I was met with earnest laughter and uncomplicated joy. The two siblings sat close together, pouring over a book that just the day before had been a catalyst for some of the fights. In that ordinary moment of life through a simple act of sharing, I witnessed the deepness of their love for each other. And I was reminded of the profound effect that love has on us—how we act, how we respond, and how we live.
There are days that I go out into the world, and I simply want to propose that we attempt to solve all of the problems of the world by “hugging it out.” And I know it isn’t that simple, but I wonder if maybe it could be. What if we adopted a metaphorical “hug it out” approach to life? An approach shaped by a distinctly palpable sense of mutuality, understanding, and connection.
In many respects, Romans 12 is that metaphorical “hug.” In the chapter, Paul challenges us to be a people who demonstrate a life lived in love and not just a superficial, “I will tolerate you” kind of love, but a sacrificial love that asks a great deal of us. And in this appeal, he not only declares that a commitment to Christian living should capture our minds, but our entire selves as well. It should permeate our identities.
These aren’t easy words. Paul isn’t presenting us with a simple checklist where we can quickly tick the box and go on our merry way. He is making a weighty invitation to each and every one of us.
That leads me to ask, what, then, do Paul’s words from thousands of years ago mean for us today? How do we take this call to embrace genuine love and apply it to the time and space that we inhabit—a world that, at times, seems more drawn to thinking of oneself than of others?
I wish I had a simple “$19.95, money-back, infomercial guarantee” sort of answer to give you. But as Paul lays out the markers that embody a Christian life, I find myself reflecting on, and even evaluating, how many of the words in this chapter seem to be guiding my own life and how many I am setting aside because of discomfort or stubbornness on my own part. I imagine others that might be asking themselves the same thing. And I find myself wondering, perhaps more fervently than ever, if it is a conversation that we as people of God should be actively seeking out.
At this fall’s Summit, we are going to have an opportunity to dive into this conversation together—to examine Romans 12 and explore what it means to reflect the kingdom of God, to become a holy and living sacrifice, and to be a people who answer the call to genuine love. We hope you will join us.
Summit will be Oct. 7-9, and we are excited to welcome not only Sara Barton, Josh Graves, and Mitch Wilburn as keynote speakers but also Willie James Jennings for a Pre-Summit Workshop. Our Anchor Point plenary session speaker is the thoughtful Heather Gorman and participants will receive a copy of the book she co-authored with Mark Nelson, Lunchroom Theology: Pushing Tables Together in a Fractured World. At each of these larger keynote sessions, Nic Dunbar will lead us in worship.
One of the gifts of Summit is the time that we are able to spend in ministry communities. These breakout sessions will be centered around specific areas of ministry. You can choose from adult formation, emerging adulthood (young adult and college age), Hispanic ministry, preaching, rural and small-town churches, and continuing education for spiritual directors. For those who want to simply dig more deeply into Scripture, there will also be Old Testament and New Testament general interest communities.
Also, we invite you to participate in any of the additional gatherings that have become a feature of Summit each year—the Community of Women Ministers Dinner, the Chaplains Lunch, and the Selah/Spiritual Direction Certificate Breakfast. Information on all of these gatherings and more can be found on the Summit website.
Registration is now open, and we hope you will make plans to join us for this year’s Summit!
