Love Has a Name

To some of my millennial friends, this title probably got you thinking “hey I know that song!” For me this caused a flashback to Enrique Iglesias and his song, aptly named “Hero” where the first line of the song is “I can be your hero baby!”

That is my subtle segway into why I seemingly spelled hero wrong in the title. In fact, it is an acronym for Healthy Investments in Relationships Over time.

I must now share that this comes from Sy Rogers. Now this Pastor, Sy Rogers, may evoke a range of emotions from people but I want to share an extremely key and important story and message which has he brilliantly outlined in a sermon I viewed online. Sy speaks quickly and with passion and it is obvious that he is alive and burning with passion and love for the world and for all of God’s children.

In this sermon he outlines his life, upbringing and experience through extreme challenges and difficulties, specifically, living his life before Jesus, as a man who identified as gay and transsexual.

What I want to share here is not about sexuality nor about a “hot topic issue” but one of truth, life and devotion to Jesus and Jesus’ call to each of his followers’ lives.

When you look at, read and study the life of Jesus Christ what do you see? Some people see teacher, some see revolutionary and others see a political adversary. Some see all of these. Yes, I believe all of these to be true but what is not often highlighted on first glance at the Scriptures is how Jesus clearly demonstrates what HIRO means.

Jesus leaves his place beside the Father in heaven and descends to become a man and to lead the world to salvation through his life, death and resurrection. Jesus’ life as documented in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John also shows us clearly how he spent time teaching, loving, revolutionizing the world and altering the political landscape of the world forever.

One thing I love to share with those in my life is what is not written. Jesus’ ministry was 3 years and this time is greatly accounted for in the Scriptures but what is still unknown to us, and what is not documented, is the time in between all of these writings, parables and teachings.

What do I mean? Well, let’s think of all of the journies across lakes and through cities. His time spent sitting and eating and having conversations, which we are not privy to. How about his behaviour among those he encountered? How about the gentle caress of a newborn baby or the smiling face of God looking upon the sick and impoverished? I’m certain Jesus did these things however they are not documented. I instead enjoy picturing the world’s Saviour in this way. Gently embracing the poorest of the poor and holding the hand of the lame and broken-hearted. These moments of kindness and extreme love which we know happened, but are not all written down.

Think about your life. Do you pay attention to those around you? When one of your friends and family members is nice and demonstrates kindness, do you notice it? Do you notice when your husband or wife, son or daughter, best friend or co-worker does something nice for a stranger or pays it forward at some point? The subtle smiles and waves to those we encounter on a daily basis, all outward exertions of our inner-self and how we view others and the world.

I argue that at the very least, subconsciously even, we are picking up cues from those around us. We do this from birth and it shapes our being, morals, values and identity in many ways. If we were surrounded by violent or abusive people when we grew up then the chances we become violent or abusive greatly increases, for example.

Now let’s think about HIRO. I am fascinated about the time, as I said, that is not documented. What do you think Luke felt, or Mark, Matthew and John, when Jesus was sitting around a fire, silently, just smiling at them? Did Luke really comprehend that Jesus was the Son of Man? Did he fully grasp that Jesus came here simply to BE WITH us? To spend time with us in order to have a personal relationship with the Living God?!

Do you comprehend that yet? Have you ever thought about this?

I have mentioned Philippians 2:6-8 before but it bears repeating:

⁶ Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

We see that Jesus could have leveraged his position and authority yet chose not to. He chose to come and eat, sleep, walk and suffer with, for and beside us.

He chose to live with and love us over a long period of time.

This brings me back to HIRO. Jesus spent his entire life giving us an example of what it means to be a HIRO.

This is what I believe biblical discipleship is in a nutshell. We are called in Matthew 28:16-20 in the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations and to teach them the ways of God (paraphrased).

How much easier to explain this than a simple, easy acronym H.I.R.O.

Sy Rogers shares openly that his church in the ’80s was very good at this and as a result, a man, by his own admission, who indulged himself in all his own passions and desires for many years, was able to experience love, freedom, mercy and grace as a result of Christians who were not afraid to live their life alongside a broken man. Not only did these brothers and sisters in Christ live beside him they actively demonstrated what it meant to be loving, forgiving and full of grace.

They lived and loved without fear knowing that people and society would attack them as associated with a self-diagnosed hedonist.

His church was confident of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and was unafraid. They knew what it took to be a follower of Jesus and how to make a disciple. They were an example and were a community of like-minded, loving and spiritually  HEALTHY people who wanted, nay, desired to INVEST their time, energy and love into people who were broken and in need of love and compassion. This was not quick and it happened OVER a long period of TIME.

Jesus spent 3 years living and demonstrating this before being arrested and crucified for it. Jesus, God, made 11 disciples in 3 years by being our H.I.R.O.

As such I feel this to be the call on my life as I serve the Lord in Southeast Asia and I know it is what each and every sincere follower of Jesus is called to do in their homes, workplaces, gyms, church building and indeed everywhere the Holy Spirit prompts you… prompts us… to speak.

Be confident. Be patient. Be strong and have courage. Be unafraid. Be someone’s HIRO.