Love and Loyalty

“The evil of the pessimist is, then, not that he chastises gods and men, but that he does not love what he chastises—he has not this primary and supernatural loyalty to things.” -G.K.Chesterton 

In one of my favorite books (which I will not name, but many of you will probably guess what it is) the discussion of leadership comes up a lot. The main character finds that much of his strength is rooted in love. It is his love for his enemy that allows him to destroy him. It is his love for those under his command that makes him such a good leader. 

I just took a trip back to a place I used to love. I described it to a friend as looking at a part of me that had been cut off and had died. A bit morbid, yes. But the place was both foreign and familiar. I felt as if I could find my way around with my eyes closed. And yet everything had changed. It got me thinking about my life-the way I go through my life. 

I'm sure I have no right to define myself with G.K. Chesterton's words...and yet they resonate with me in a special way. I have a "primary and supernatural loyalty to things." Usually, my first instinct is to understand: people, places, words, images, thoughts. If something holds any interest for me at all (a.k.a. most of the world) I won't stop at looking at it, or even interacting with it. I need to understand. In order to understand, I have to meld with it. Think of putting different shaped plastic containers in the sink and watching the water slowly consume it. 

That's what my heart does. That's why loss and change can throw me off balance for a while. I've been on the fence with whether this is a strength or weakness. But Chesterton is convincing me of the good aspects. 

“Love is not blind; that is the last thing that it is. Love is bound; and the more it is bound the less it is blind…before any cosmic act of reform we must have a cosmic oath of allegiance. A man must be interested in life, then he could be disinterested in his views of it...

“What we need is not the cold acceptance of the world as a compromise, but some way in which we can heartily hate and heartily love it. We do not want joy and anger to neutralize each other and produce a surly contentment; we want a fiercer delight and a fiercer discontent." (G.K. Chesterton)

“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends." John 15:12-13

It takes sacrifice to love in this way. In the few years that I have been involved in discipleship, I have been wounded many times. I no longer have the fear of being betrayed or hurt--my heart is safely rooted in Christ. 

It is passionate, selfless, sacrificial love that will change this world. 

 "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, [and] coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to [the point of] death, even the death of the cross.  Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ... Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.  For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me. [Phl 2:5-9, 17-18 NKJV]

Selfless service and commitment: loyalty and love. The kind of loyalty that won't give up. The kind of love that perseveres and pours out to the dregs.