“Stop hurting each other” was all I could get out as I looked at the congregation.

That moment changed me in ways I could never have imagined.

The story begins with a small church ministry that was faithful in many ways. The people gathered together and worshiped. They ministered to each other’s needs and shared the gospel with others.

After a tornado came through town, we had an opportunity to minister to several families who had been displaced. As a result, some of them made decisions to follow Jesus. And, that blossomed into a number of people coming to know the Lord.

With new converts often come challenges as they begin to learn what it means to follow Jesus, to love Him and love one another. In the midst of their growth, some of them who had been dating began to end their relationships. And then they began to date others in the group.

You can imagine the hurt feelings and broken hearts.

This went on for several months and we began to have people rallying behind one or the other in the relationship mess. People began to take sides and be angry at the others. Some of our regular members were pulled into the mix.

What I believed was a blessing had turned into a curse. In the midst of preaching the sermon one Sunday I was brought to such a place of deep sorrow that all I could say was, “Stop hurting each other!”

At that moment I understood the command to love your neighbor in a totally different way, because I had seen what it didn’t look like. And I had seen the pain and division that followed.

Whatever loving your neighbor was described as in scripture, this was not it. I began to see sin as the opposite of love. Jesus said God’s law could be expressed in the two commands. Loving God with all that you are and loving your neighbor as yourself. To fail to keep those commands was to be unloving.

Every day, we see the pain caused by people failing to love one another.

It is imperative that we, who profess to love Jesus, love one another and be the light that shines into the darkness. More than ever the world around us needs to know what love is and see what it looks like.

Let’s encourage folks to stop hurting each other and embrace the love of God. And no matter how you say it, be sure and be the example.

“May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all.” 1 Thessalonians 3:12 ESV.

Pastor Rich Cummings was called to Emmanuel Baptist Church in August 2022 and he has been a pastor since 2006. He has an MDiv from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He may be reached at rich@ebccassville.com.