God's definition of what matters is pretty straightforward. He measures our lives by how we love. In our culture, even if a pastor doesn't actually love people, he can still be considered successful as long as he is a gifted speaker, makes his congregation laugh, or prays for "all those poor, suffering people in the world" every Sunday. But Paul writes that even if "I have all faith, as to remove a mountain, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing"(1 Cor.13:2-3 ESV). Wow. Those are strong and unmistakable words. According to God, we are here to love. Not much else really matters. So God assesses our lives based on how we love. But the word love is so overused and worn out. What does God mean by love? He tells us,
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends...faith, hope, and love abide, the three; but the greatest of these is love.
-1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 13 ESV
But even those words have grown tired and overly familiar, haven't they? I was challenged to do a little exercise with these verses, one that was profoundly convicting. Take the phrase Love is patient and substitute your name for the word love.
-Francis Chan
Wow! How heart wrenching was that? Any Christian that reads this and is not challenged even the slightest bit might re-think what they are really, truly living for. Our God is not interested in what we are capable of offering to him half the time. He is interested in our EVERYTHING. Following Christ isn't something that can be done halfheartedly or on the side. It must be central to everything we do and everything we are. I hope this speaks to you as much as is did to me. LOVE! its all about LOVE! and if we, as Christians, don't grasp that soon....then we are NOTHING. Do you want to be nothing in God's eyes? Or do you want to do as He commands and LOVE others and put others in front of yourselves? It is a very dangerous decision, one that should not be taken halfheartedly. I encourage you to not be lukewarm and do not be evil. (Malachi 1:8) Goodnight :)
6 comments:
So I found your blog by reading your husband's. I'm a linkwhore, so I ended up reading yours, too.
You made me think - 'tis too early for that!
None the less, I agree with almost everything you said, especially "if you are Christian, this should challenge you' - it certainly does.
It reminds me that we always seem to put conditions on our love for others. That we'll love them 'if this or if that' instead of giving that love as unconditionally as God does.
But that's where I disagree with you. God does give us love unconditionally - I do not think we could ever be nothing in his eyes. Even when we fall short and miss the mark - He still loves us; He still likes us and, as the Well says, he is still standing on the edge of eternity calling for us.
Love you friend! :)
Alan,
Im so glad that you found my page. I know we chatted about this earlier today, but just to clear it up for the others that may have had the same thoughts as yourself. I was taking some of my thoughts from the verse I mentioned about if we have not love, we are nothing...I do understand that God loves us no matter what and we are never nothing in His eyes, but without love, who are we? Thats all. thanks for the comments.
We are nothing without love; people spend their entire lives searching for perfect love.
Even other faiths focus on the love of the Divine - the first words of the Wiccan Rede poem written by Adrianna Porter (sort of a quasi-religious document) starts with 'in perfect love and perfect trust'.
God gives us that; and I think we spend our lives seeking love because we're made to need to God's love - we try to mirror that love in the relationships we have with others.
Like God, we spend all our time seeking or being in relationships with others - no matter what kind of relationship we have.
If we really do love everyone, then we really don't take offense at things people do or say, and we really do accept people as they are, no matter what that may be.
We also forgive them, no matter what they do, because we love them.
Yeah - I'm not there yet.
/random ramble for the night by Jayiin.
I hear congrats are in order!! Passing the State Teacher's test is a BIG deal!!! We'll have to have ya'll over to celebrate in a few weeks. :)
HELLO!! You pass the biggest test of your life and you don't even update your blog?! There are several other events you could update about as well. LOL
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