The One with Guerilla Love

A few weeks ago Pastor Brett, the lead pastor at the church I work for, talked about a challenge that he will be presenting the church with in the spring called “The Guerilla Love Challenge.” We’ve all heard of “Guerilla Warfare” where people sneak attack the enemy in the middle of their everyday lives and then take over the village or area they are attacking. With the “Guerilla Love Challenge” the goal is to show Christ’s love to people in the middle of their everyday lives. To completely take them off guard by doing something that doesn’t make a lot of sense.

I first and foremost want to say that I’m divulging this information to you so that you think “Wow, he’s a really spiritual guy”and I don’t want you to think that I’m bragging by any means. Matthew 6:1-3 scares me and I’m just wanting to share how God has worked through me.

There are multiple ways to get to the church from our apartment and the fastest route is on the toll road that we live right next to. It costs us $1.00 to make the 4 mile drive and so my wife and I usually only use it if we are running late or are so insanely tired that we just want to get home quickly. Anyway, I am sitting at the stoplight when it was as if God reminded me that I have cash in my wallet from a reimbursement (I never carry cash) and that I should take the parkway and pay the $1 toll and then offer to pay the toll for the next person who passes through.

I was excited at first and thought this would be a great way to help a person start their weekend off right or that it could make them smile. As I approached the on ramp to the toll road though I began to feel nervous. I thought to myself “Matt, you’re crazy! It is only a $1 and it really isn’t going to change anybody’s life. Do you know how silly you’re going to look to the toll booth employee? You seriously want to risk looking like a fool just to make someone smile?” As I approached the toll booth I knew there was no turning back and I rolled my window down and asked the toll collector if I could pay for the next person’s toll and she smile and said “Yes you can! That is very kind of you!”

I pulled away from the toll booth and felt a sudden excitement to look for other ways to show love to people in every day situations. That’s my challenge for each and every one of you that reads this. To share the love that we’ve been shown with others. Bake cookies for your garbage man, help collect the carts in the grocery store parking lot, offer to pay for the meal or coffee for the person behind you in the drive-thru.

Christ commanded us in John 13:34-35 to love one another and that in our loving one another we don’t even have to say that we’re a follower of Christ, but that people would know. When we radiate this amazing love that we have been shown people can’t help but see the love of Christ.