Brotherly love

I had a saying on my fridge once. It said, "Friends are those who've seen you make the worst fool of yourself, yet love you anyway." It is amazing to me the love I've known since I've been a Christian, to forgive, & move past, & cover one another's sin. It always amazes me when I'm the recipient of this grace & love. I have had the privilege of being able to, by God's grace, see a few brother's & sister's sins, & still love them, & have them around. We get over it & move on. Wow.
I was agonizing in my closet last week, the coldness of McMunigle blood still left in my sinful nature had reared AGAIN, wondering, "how can You love me?" He reassured me He did, to my humbled gratitude. The wretchedness of my heart is never-ending, His love is slow to anger & full of mercy & compassion. It still amazes me. I'd never felt the full extent of it until I got married. Grudges, vengeance, unforgiveness, & broken relationships was all I'd ever known. Forgiveness, as far as the east is from the west, is a wonderful gift I've opened & appreciated only since my 2cd birth.
After being raised in a broken home, I still have the thought now & then will my marriage last 'til death do us part, even though my DH is a rock, an anchor, a faithful & true family man who would never find satisfaction in being the men our fathers were. The redeeming love my husband has given me has filled so many of the empty places I had in my heart growing up as a girl with an unloving, distant dad. My step dad loved us, but not as a Christian dad loves his own daughter. Two half daddies don't make a whole DADDY to a love-starved, young girl. I have experienced so much of God's unconditional love for me by His choice of a husband for me. So many wounds, cleansed & healed. Some might have to look close to notice scars, some who are close have seen the embarrassing scars.
So now I wait, anxious again, how deep is the love in the body of Christ?
When goats find one of their own herd is hurt or wounded, what do they do?
They use it to their advantage. It is an opportunity to push the weak one down & rise to the top in strength. Everyone takes a shot at the weak, wounded one to let them know they are better & stronger. The wounded take the lowest place in the pecking order.
Sheep guard the wounded. " Love covers a multitude of sin."
Trust does NOT come easily to me. I scope what others say to me about other brothers & sisters. If they can cover other's sins & love anyway, they can be trusted. If they go about gossiping about other's sins in a haughtier, pious way; scratch, they're out.
How vulnerable can the body of Christ be without fear of being attacked when weak or wounded? Are we really Christ's sheep, ready to cleanse nasty wounds & protect?
" Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit." One vine brings forth that which that which cuts & wounds , one brings forth that which nourishes & heals.
How deep is Christian love? "They will know we are Christians by our love."
What can it withstand? What will it endure? How long does it last? How faithful is it?
I long to " grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,"
to be one, even as He and the Father are one,
to long for His appearing with a united body of believers who move past the shallow superficialalities of religious duty. Can we be vulnerable without fear of it coming back at us as a weapon? "Anything you say can & will be used against you."
"Can these dry bones live? Only You know LORD..."