What does it mean to love? Not the mushy-gushy, Disney & Hallmark romance type of love. I mean to TRULY LOVE. To love with a brotherly love... a Christ-like love. What does that look like? How is it shown? Is it obvious or hidden? Quiet or LOUD? Bold or timid? Spoken or put into action? Do I even know what it means to truly love with the love of my Savior??
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 puts it like this: "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 at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
I am ashamed to say that I am guilty of NOT loving in this way. Not putting aside all my desires for those who need my time more than I do. Not living out the love I have been given. Not loving others the way THEY need to be loved... they way that they are loved by Jesus Christ.
You see, I believe that more often than not, we preach about love, yet decide to go on loving the world how WE think that they need loved. Every Sunday. Every Wednesday. Every chapel, Bible study, internet article, book, etc. Everyday. All day long. Love is what makes the world go 'round, right? Yes, just as long as it means we get to love on OUR TERMS and on OUR SCHEDULE.
You see, we have the head knowledge..but do we have the heart knowledge? Do we understand WHY we love? Because if we do not...then there is no way that you can truly love the way we are demanded.
So...WHY do we even love? Where does it come from? 1 John 4:19 says, "We love because HE FIRST loved US." (emphasis added). Our ability to love comes from one place. One person. We are only able to love because of Christ's love for us. For Christ's sacrifice for us. It is ALL about Him and HIS LOVE. Nothing in this life is about us. Everything points to Him, His glory, and HIS LOVE. We deserve nothing..not even love. But he CHOSE to love us anyway. Despite our flaws, failures, and fears. Despite our sin and selfishness. He loves us so much that He has reached down and opened our eyes to see Him and His love. Until we understand how dearly we are loved by our incredible Maker an Savior, we cannot even ask for the love we need to show to others. Without the standard of love from Jesus Christ, then what is there to guide us? Nothing. Exactly.
1 Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
We are chosen for something great, something holy and royal. We are chose to proclaim the excellencies of His Love that called us out of darkness into light.
Now, with all that said.. remember how I told you that I am guilty of not loving in the way that I am called to? In the way that Christ loves me? Well... I certainly thought that I was loving the right way. The way that Christ loves me. Boy was I wrong.
As I prepared for my missions trip to the Dominican Republic, I will admit that I never expected to learn what love means and looks like from these children who probably did not know the love of my Savior.. I expected to love THEM and be a blessing to them. You see, in my Americanized Church Mind, I thought that I had all the answers.. and the worse part? I didn't even realize my pride.
As you look through these photos, just notice the JOY and the CONTENTMENT in their eyes and smiles. The HAPPINESS. The LOVE.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 puts it like this: "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 at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
I am ashamed to say that I am guilty of NOT loving in this way. Not putting aside all my desires for those who need my time more than I do. Not living out the love I have been given. Not loving others the way THEY need to be loved... they way that they are loved by Jesus Christ.
You see, I believe that more often than not, we preach about love, yet decide to go on loving the world how WE think that they need loved. Every Sunday. Every Wednesday. Every chapel, Bible study, internet article, book, etc. Everyday. All day long. Love is what makes the world go 'round, right? Yes, just as long as it means we get to love on OUR TERMS and on OUR SCHEDULE.
You see, we have the head knowledge..but do we have the heart knowledge? Do we understand WHY we love? Because if we do not...then there is no way that you can truly love the way we are demanded.
So...WHY do we even love? Where does it come from? 1 John 4:19 says, "We love because HE FIRST loved US." (emphasis added). Our ability to love comes from one place. One person. We are only able to love because of Christ's love for us. For Christ's sacrifice for us. It is ALL about Him and HIS LOVE. Nothing in this life is about us. Everything points to Him, His glory, and HIS LOVE. We deserve nothing..not even love. But he CHOSE to love us anyway. Despite our flaws, failures, and fears. Despite our sin and selfishness. He loves us so much that He has reached down and opened our eyes to see Him and His love. Until we understand how dearly we are loved by our incredible Maker an Savior, we cannot even ask for the love we need to show to others. Without the standard of love from Jesus Christ, then what is there to guide us? Nothing. Exactly.
1 Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
We are chosen for something great, something holy and royal. We are chose to proclaim the excellencies of His Love that called us out of darkness into light.
Now, with all that said.. remember how I told you that I am guilty of not loving in the way that I am called to? In the way that Christ loves me? Well... I certainly thought that I was loving the right way. The way that Christ loves me. Boy was I wrong.
As I prepared for my missions trip to the Dominican Republic, I will admit that I never expected to learn what love means and looks like from these children who probably did not know the love of my Savior.. I expected to love THEM and be a blessing to them. You see, in my Americanized Church Mind, I thought that I had all the answers.. and the worse part? I didn't even realize my pride.
As you look through these photos, just notice the JOY and the CONTENTMENT in their eyes and smiles. The HAPPINESS. The LOVE.
You see, these children are not just faces to me. They have stolen my heart. They have taught me what love acts like. How? I do not know. All I know is that these precious children, who do not all know what TRUE love really is, are showing a greater love than those in the Church's who DO know the love of our Savior.
These children are patient when other kids need taught something, kind when it is hot and their bellies are empty, they do not boast when they are given something others do not have, they do not envy those who have things they do not..but rather REJOICE with their friends. They are not arrogant or rude to each other when they are better at some things, but instead come up beside their neighbors to encourage and guide. They are not irritable or resentful against what we would call "injustice" or "life's not fair". When someone steals something, they are quick to point out the wrong and rejoice when truth is shown. They bear the daily fears together. They believe that there is joy in each day. They hope with expectancy for their needs to be provided. They endure the constant unknown and pain. Side by side. Neighbor by neighbor. Brother by brother.
In their "poor" communities, I quickly saw that they are not the ones who are poor..but rather, I am the one who is poor. I take Christ's love for granted and therefore forget the awesome, amazing, and all-forgiving love of my Jesus. I have riches beyond belief, yet hide it to myself.
They give all they have.. and it's not even close to the amount that I have access to. YET THEY ARE SHOWING MORE LOVE THAN I AM.
For example: Imagine you have are in the movie National Treasure. You have just been showed this GINORMOUS room full of the world's greatest treasures and riches. You have complete access and ownership to it ALL. But, you don't feel like going down into the dusty room every day to pull out yet another brick of gold. You have 100 in your home already. Those will be sufficient to use and give away, right? You give one to your neighbor, your parents, your best friend. But really, you just keep most of it to yourself.. No reason. Just laziness and selfishness. You are capable of doing so much with it, but just let it collect dust in an underground room.
Now. Your next door neighbor and the one brick of gold you've given him. He splits that single brick of gold up as many times as he can in order to give it away as much and as fully as he possibly could. He does not have access to all of the treasures and riches that you do.. but he is doing so much more with what little portion he has been given.
Make sense? Have you put the pieces together?
These children did not just hold my hand, give me hugs, and play with my hair. I do not just have photos as a memory of them. They gave me so much more than a fun week for me to feel needed.
They gave me the entirety of their small piece of gold while I realized that I have a whole room filled with far greater things..things that were just collecting dust.
These children gave me a wake-up call. They showed me the faces of love...and they helped me realize the MAGNIFICENT gift of love I have been given. They have showed me that I have so much to give..and the reason I am giving out this love is because I am loved in a perfect way. God used them to breathe new life into my dry bones.
So, as you go away from this post, I pray that you examine your treasury of riches. Are you using them all? Or hoarding them? Use them. That is why Jesus gave His love to you.. so that YOU can pass it ALL on to others!
These children are patient when other kids need taught something, kind when it is hot and their bellies are empty, they do not boast when they are given something others do not have, they do not envy those who have things they do not..but rather REJOICE with their friends. They are not arrogant or rude to each other when they are better at some things, but instead come up beside their neighbors to encourage and guide. They are not irritable or resentful against what we would call "injustice" or "life's not fair". When someone steals something, they are quick to point out the wrong and rejoice when truth is shown. They bear the daily fears together. They believe that there is joy in each day. They hope with expectancy for their needs to be provided. They endure the constant unknown and pain. Side by side. Neighbor by neighbor. Brother by brother.
In their "poor" communities, I quickly saw that they are not the ones who are poor..but rather, I am the one who is poor. I take Christ's love for granted and therefore forget the awesome, amazing, and all-forgiving love of my Jesus. I have riches beyond belief, yet hide it to myself.
They give all they have.. and it's not even close to the amount that I have access to. YET THEY ARE SHOWING MORE LOVE THAN I AM.
For example: Imagine you have are in the movie National Treasure. You have just been showed this GINORMOUS room full of the world's greatest treasures and riches. You have complete access and ownership to it ALL. But, you don't feel like going down into the dusty room every day to pull out yet another brick of gold. You have 100 in your home already. Those will be sufficient to use and give away, right? You give one to your neighbor, your parents, your best friend. But really, you just keep most of it to yourself.. No reason. Just laziness and selfishness. You are capable of doing so much with it, but just let it collect dust in an underground room.
Now. Your next door neighbor and the one brick of gold you've given him. He splits that single brick of gold up as many times as he can in order to give it away as much and as fully as he possibly could. He does not have access to all of the treasures and riches that you do.. but he is doing so much more with what little portion he has been given.
Make sense? Have you put the pieces together?
These children did not just hold my hand, give me hugs, and play with my hair. I do not just have photos as a memory of them. They gave me so much more than a fun week for me to feel needed.
They gave me the entirety of their small piece of gold while I realized that I have a whole room filled with far greater things..things that were just collecting dust.
These children gave me a wake-up call. They showed me the faces of love...and they helped me realize the MAGNIFICENT gift of love I have been given. They have showed me that I have so much to give..and the reason I am giving out this love is because I am loved in a perfect way. God used them to breathe new life into my dry bones.
So, as you go away from this post, I pray that you examine your treasury of riches. Are you using them all? Or hoarding them? Use them. That is why Jesus gave His love to you.. so that YOU can pass it ALL on to others!