Love...

After battling at length with the issues that I wished to share my heart on, I have decided that at this time, I lack the wisdom, grace and tact to approach them.

In the meantime, there have been plenty of events that gave me the "writing bug" but since these topics were weighing heavily on my mind, I thought "I can't write about that until I write the promised posts." I have decided it is time to move on. I will revisit said topics when I feel like I am ready, and the Lord gives me freedom to speak with the wisdom that is from above: first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. (James 3:17-18)

So, here are some random thoughts inspired during my drive to the chiropractor this morning.

I was listening to the radio, and heard a preacher speaking from the OT. He stated that "Sometimes, God allows enemies to remain in your life in order to teach you how to fight." The premise was valid, and the text and sermon were good, but it led my thinking down an entirely different path. I want to posit the theory that sometimes, God allows people to remain in your life to teach you how to love. It is easy to "love" someone when they love you back, when your acts of love, kindness or service to them are met with appreciation, affirmation or love. What about when, no matter how hard you try to show someone that you love them,you are rebuffed, scoffed at, or even viciously attacked? Does this give one the right to stop loving? Does it give one the right to respond in kind? What does the Bible say?

Matthew 5:38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE,AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.’ 39 “But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 “If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. 41 “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 “Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ 44 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46“For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 “If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even theGentiles do the same? 48 “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

John 15:12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life forhis friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.... 17 This is my command: Love each other. 18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

I Thessalonians 3:12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else...

I Thess 4:9 Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. 11 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

I John 3:11 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

I John 3:23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

I John 4:11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

II John 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love

I Peter 1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

You know what I DON'T see in these verses? I see no qualifiers such as "Love one another as long as the 'others' are lovable, or love you back." Or... "We ought to love those that love us." Or... "if you have tried for "x" amount of time, you can stop showing love. We are simply told to love, no matter how difficult, challenging ordiscouraging. We are to love. OUCH! Does my life truly reflect the love of Christ? Do people know that I am HIS because of my love for others? I think I have a long way to go!