Loving A Broken World

It was an ordinary day where I worked at Freddy’s Frozen Custards and Steakburgers. I clocked in on a Sunday afternoon at 4 for my closing shift, which I had done for the past countless weekends. I, along with a couple of my fellow co-workers, always closed on Sundays and loved doing it. But this particular Sunday was different. This was the Sunday that one of my non-Christian co-workers would get harassed by a “Christian.” 

It all started a couple of days prior when I was with my co-worker when our schedule came out. We saw we were both working Sunday like we always do but he groaned. I asked him why, and he told me that he hated working Sundays because of the people that come in. I asked him what he meant and he said the church people that come on Sundays are always the worst customers. I never really understood what he meant until that very next Sunday we were working together and a lady with a “Jesus Loves You” shirt came to the counter where we gave out the food. She came back with her fries and told my co-worker she wanted new ones because they were not as hot as she would like. As politely as he could, my co-worker apologized and began making new fries. After the fries were done my co-worker gave her the same amount of fries as before, only freshly done, and once again apologized to the lady. However, the same lady with that Jesus Loves You shirt on began to harass my co-worker for giving her fewer fries than before. Not only was she lying, but she verbally was harassing my co-worker, saying things like “how do you even have this job” and “maybe you should just quit.” After this I stepped in, once again apologized to the lady, made her extra-large fries, and just like that the lady walked away without a thought of what she had just done. 

What I did not tell you about this co-worker is that he was an unbeliever who had a rough home life. He was longing for love and for the past couple of months I was trying to show him and tell him about the love that only Christ can offer. After this situation happened he ranted to me about if this is how Christians act then how can your God actually love me if the people who serve him don’t love others. I imagine there are countless stories unbelievers have of an experience like what my co-worker experienced. 

In the book of Matthew, the Pharisees are trying to fool Jesus so they ask him, “What is the greatest commandment?” Jesus replies, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39) We live in a broken world with broken people. There has never been nor will there ever be a perfect person except Jesus. If we look to this world for love, satisfaction, worth, identity, or value then at some point it will never be enough. 

There are countless studies about who the most miserable people on the planet are. Time and time again, the studies show how the richest people are often the most unsatisfied. Why? How can someone who can have anything in life be so unhappy? The simple answer is because nothing in this world can satisfy. No amount of money or power can ever make someone truly happy and content. The only thing that can, however, is Jesus. I do not know what you have been going through in your life, whether that is a difficult home life, broken relationship or friendship,  tough school or job situation, or maybe just the feeling of loneliness and worthlessness. Whatever that may be for you know this. You are loved. You are loved by someone whose love does not run out. You are loved by someone who will not stop chasing you. You are loved by someone who, no matter your past, no matter what sins you have committed, and no matter how far you have run will never stop loving you. Your worth and identity are not defined by your past, what others say about you, how smart you are, how many friends you have, or how much money is in your bank account. Your worth and value is found in Christ and Christ alone. Never forget that. No matter what this world throws at you, no matter how bad a situation in your life gets, no matter what trial you may be enduring Jesus Loves You and he is there for you no matter what. 

Walk through this life in confidence knowing the God of the universe has your back. Your identity has been found in Christ. Because of that, we can love God and love others. “On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

Editor’s Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official views of TeenPact Leadership Schools. To learn more about our Vision & Values, please visit teenpact.com/vision-values/.