They only fit in the skilled hands of Jesus. He decides, then calls, a local church to let him take over--with his motivations, with his style of outreach, with his power of love and acceptance as the driving force.
Then the language that church doesn't [have to] speak because it exudes becomes:
You are welcome here. Your story is important to us because we know you are super important to God.A love grenade is painful. The church targeted by Jesus (to get hit with love) will become something of a pariah in its locale. It will be hugely misunderstood as it goes out and loves on people, communicating simply that its doors are open to regular people who want to know more about this Jesus.
Ironically, the talk will be that this local church has lost Jesus.
Misunderstood. The butt of untruths. Warned against. These are among the pieces to be picked up in the wake of the grenade.
Jesus more than understands. He is the love grenade. He exploded into history 2,000 years ago and paved the way to be misunderstood, lied about and warned against. His very family doubted that he could be who he said he was. The religious elite got so perturbed they drumrolled his execution, thinking they could remove that pesky thing called God-designed love.
A love grenade, when survived, transforms the local landscape. It changes the hearts of the (church) insiders and gradually establishes a love connection in the community. It is hard work under relentless attack.
But gradually, peace born of genuine transformation begins to take root. It strengthens and becomes the language that such a church--blown apart by a love grenade--begins to speak:
Jesus, you are welcome here. Your story (of love) is important to us because we know you are super important to God.Birthing the peace that begins with a love grenade: a salute to the Living Christ.
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