A Letter to The Church

Dear friends,

I don’t normally post personal religious convictions on here , but lately, God has been stirring something in my heart. This is a letter to all followers of Jesus. It’s a quiet conviction that’s been growing stronger every time I hear the name of God used without love in the conversation. My spirit dies a little when I see His name wrapped in conversations, politics or social media condemning posts instead of gentleness and grace.

Jesus said, “They will know you are my disciples if you have love one another.” (John 13:35) Those words have been echoing in my spirit all week. Jesus didn’t say they will know you by your arguments, your opinions, or your social media posts. He said they will know you by your love.

When I think about that, I can’t help but look inward. Am I loving people the way He loves me? Am I reflecting His heart or just defending His name?

I read once that when Gandhi was asked why he didn’t follow Jesus, he said, “I don’t disagree with the teachings of Christ. It’s just that so many Christians are so unlike Christ.” That breaks my heart. He was turned away from a church in South Africa and told there was no place for him there. Imagine seeking truth and being met with rejection.

How many have we turned away?

These thoughts have been pressing on me. Jesus’ greatest commandment was to love one another, yet sometimes we forget that love is the very foundation of truth. Before we speak truth, we need to wrap it in love.

What can we do? Repentance, for me, has looked like remembering how far I’ve fallen and returning to that place of simple love. It starts with awareness, then turning back to God, and then living differently. Not out of shame, but out of a desire to be more like Him.

You don’t lead someone to Jesus by winning a debate. You do it by loving them. By showing up, by being constant in their life- in this chaotic world.

So this is my reminder to myself, and maybe to you too: before we cast a stone, let’s look inward. Let’s ask if our words, our tone, and our actions reflect His love.

If we carry His name, let’s also carry His heart. Because they will know us by our love.

With grace and conviction,

Farmer Kristina