Love - It Is A Command

Topics: Love

Erich Honecker was deposed as East Germany's chief of state while the
country was undergoing tremendous change. The turmoil in East Germany
received a great deal of attention, but an unpopular act of Christian
reconciliation went mostly ignored.

Honecker was widely hated by others. After being ousted from his
position, he was not allowed to live in his luxury villa. A Lutheran
pastor offered to let the homeless Honecker live in the pastor's gust
room. The pastor even paid Honecker's expenses. This was especially
surprising since Honecker had once persecuted the church.

This move was widely resented. Many people threatened to quit the church
(and some did). The pastor received vile phone calls. When asked why he
did it, the pastor cited a passage of Scripture: All this is from God,
who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has give us the
ministry of reconciliation...So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God
is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be
reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:18,20).

Arthur Paul Boers, Lord, Teach Us to Pray, Waterloo, Ontario: Herald
Press, 1992).