All You Need Is Love?

"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

If we truly look at this list of love, the love we have been trying to practice over the last month, can we say this is easy to display to the people around us on a regular basis?  Changing a normal reaction in a situation to a love action takes thought, awareness, and perseverance.  It requires us to look at the situation and the person differently than we did before we truly considered what Christ did for us on the cross and how we should take that into our daily lives.  I can tell you that this week I have not been patient, was not kind, was jealous, and definitely sought my own in some instances. 

In our house we have come to a couple of realizations.  Realization one is love actions are easier in our own home than they are once we walk out our front door.  My son put words to this one.  Early in the month during a conversation about love actions and what we had been able to accomplish that day in terms of love, he said, "...it is much easier with our family than outside."  How true is that?  How much easier to react in love in a place that is safe where you know the actions will be reciprocated (most of the time anyway)?  My daughter had a tough experience with this exact realization.  She ran into a circumstance where she was hurt by a friend of hers (being vague to protect the innocent) and was not greeted warmly and with love when that is what she expected.  I do give my Emma credit.  She does not hold onto things.  She has a wonderful ability to let things roll off her back.  As her eyes welled up with tears I said, "You can just come home with me..".  But she wanted to continue with the group, regardless of the hurt currently being felt, and she stayed and played and when I picked her up she spoke of a pretty good time.  My daughter's ability to let things roll off her back and move forward, to me, is the essence of forgiveness, and a definitive love action.

Realization number two is love actions are a decision, not a feeling.  We did talk about this a little in an earlier post, but consider the weight of that statement.  When you are faced with a confrontation from someone that seems unfounded, when you are being addressed by someone who clearly does not care about you, when you are faced with anger, how easy is it to respond in love?  You have to dig deep inside and find the source of agape love and make a very conscious decision to act in love instead of any of the other twenty emotions that are close to the surface in that moment.  Only through God's love and drawing on his strength can we change a normal human action to a love action.  This has been a poignant realization for my children and I.

However, we have the ability to do it!  In the old testament, Solomon spent a good portion of his life rebuilding the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem.  He dedicated all his energy and talent to this calling on his life.  As he was prayerfully dedicating the temple to the Lord in front of the mass of Israelites he makes this statement to the crowd, "But your hearts must be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time."  1 Kings 8:61 
He knew in the splendor of the beautiful new temple, the Israelites would be able to worship and obey God, but what about when they left the beauty and comfort of the temple?  It is the same with us as we leave the comfort of our homes and go out into the world daily.  At home we can pray and talk about love actions and practice them with our family, but can we continue that focus when we are faced with our daily lives?  I say we can!  We need our hearts to be committed to God,  we need to rely on his strength, and we need the support of like minded people, but... yes we can! 

We need our hearts to be fully committed to God.  Are we fully committed to God each and every day.  No, because we are human, however there is forgiveness and grace for all who ask.  So each day we have the ability to renew our hearts before him and before we set out into the life he has for us.  Maybe if each day we started with Psalm 51:10 we may be better able to act in love.  "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."  I love that a pure heart is in the same stanza as a steadfast spirit.  We know we need a steadfast spirit to turn normal actions into love actions, haven't we established that?  So a  pure heart, committed to God, making a decision to act in love.

We need to rely on his strength.  If we considered what we had to accomplish each day, not just daily tasks but the interactions that those tasks lead us to, sometimes, don't you want to stay in bed?  Gideon felt the same way.  Israel had once again committed evil in the sight of the Lord and they were being attacked by the Midianites.  By the way, I LOVE the scripture that is coming!  The Lord picks Gideon, who is basically a farmer, to lead the Israelites to defeat the Midianites. Gideon basically says, "Are you kidding me?"  Then, the best thing ever!  Are you ready?  "The Lord turned to him and said, 'Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand.  Am I not sending you?'"  Judges 6:14 
Holy Batman, Robin!  First the Lord turned to Gideon, can you imagine that, and then told him to go in the little strength that a farmer had, that the Lord was sending him.  Trust the Lord and he will make up your deficiency of strength.  Is that awesome?

We need the support of life minded people.  Our children need us until they find that solid group of like minded people.  While they are still young we are their like minded people.  Remember Hebrews 10:24?  "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds."  Our children need us to remind them about love actions and the strength required to make a decision to move in love. 

Let your talk and focus on love actions continue.  It requires us to love the Lord, be committed to him, make a decision to love, be obedient, and be focused and sure of our love actions, persevere. Psalm 128:1,2 with Stacie in the parenthesis, says, "Blessed are all who fear the Lord (a heart committed), who walk in his ways (obedient decisions and actions).  You will eat the fruit of your labor (perseverance); blessings and prosperity will be yours (joyful life)."

I have already been blessed by love actions and watching my kids focus on them and their eyes light up when they commit a love action.  We will continue in this as we move through the fruits of the spirit.  All you need is love?  Not so much, we need the Lord, his strength and the help of other believers.  But love actions make the other fruits of the spirit seem a little more realistic.  Doesn't joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control all seem more do-able in the light of a love action?

The joy of the Lord is our strength!  Joy begins next...

By His Grace