Category: Love

Ephesians 2:10          Am I an Obvious Christian?

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (NIV).

 

Do people recognize me as being a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ?  Maybe my bumper sticker has a Christian message.  Maybe I wear a cross.  Maybe I go to church.  Maybe I don’t use foul language.  Maybe I put up a manger scene with my Christmas decorations.  These are all indications that I might actually be a follower of Jesus Christ, but to most people these may be the only indications of my faith in Christ.  Do I really look like God’s handiwork?  I realize that most people don’t get close enough to me for me to expound upon my love for Jesus, and I am glad to have these external indications of my faith.  But for those closer to me, those I work with, those I bowl with, my neighbors, my friends, my family, I have the opportunity to represent my Savior in a deeper sense.

How does God want me show that I am a follower of Christ?  Well, Jesus gives us a direct answer to that question in Matthew 7:12, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets”  (NIV).  Do I have to let people out in front of me in traffic?  Yes.  Do I have to let people in front of me in the grocery line?  Yes.  Do I have to be patient with a rude store clerk?  Yes.  Do I have to respect the right of people to reject Jesus?  Yes.  Do I have to hold my tongue when someone denigrates the work of Jesus Christ?  NO!  I do have to respect someone’s decision to reject Christ, but I am responsible to represent my Lord, and to speak what He says.  Sometimes “do unto others” involves prayers on their behalf after leaving the conversation even if they don’t know Christ, or really, especially if they do not know Christ.

It’s important to remember who we represent when we put a Christian bumper sticker on our car, and, more importantly, to remember who we represent when we wear a cross.  Let the cross be a conversation starter and not just a piece of pretty jewelry.  Jesus tells us in John 13:34,35, “A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (NIV).  Sometimes love is obvious, and sometimes love is subtle; in either case, love is His command, not His suggestion.  Evidently, there is something about showing love that gets noticed and speaks of the care of our Lord.  So, let’s do that—love one another.

1 Corinthians 13:2                                                   Love is for Real

 “If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing” (NLT).

 

Wow, that’s quite a statement.  Don’t you think that it would be impressive to others and draw them to God if I could move mountains?  Well, it would certainly be impressive to their minds and perhaps make them wonder about this “faith” thing, and maybe want it.  That’s a move in the right direction, but does the person really understand all that’s needed to get this “faith” thing to work?  It takes a commitment to God and to His conditions, and it takes time to develop faith.  There is a responsibility that goes along with that kind of faith.  That kind of faith is not used for personal gain.  It is used for the betterment of someone else.  To get to the point where I use my faith to help someone else, I have to realize that God expects me to love.  That’s the basic condition upon which He operates because God is love.  God does not prefer love, God does not use love.  God does not say that we should love, but it is His commandment to love.  As Jesus spoke in Matthew 22:37-40: “Jesus replied, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and will all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments’” (NIV).  There you have it in the words of the master, Jesus, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  That’s a command and not a suggestion.  “But I don’t like my neighbor, he’s a real pest.”  You are still commanded to love him.  He may well need it more than some of your best friends.

As Paul tells  in the Scripture above, “…but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.”  Being a person who will stand beside someone in his hour of need, lend a helping hand, speak encouragement, go beyond what the world would think is enough, and pray for him, will touch his heart even more than moving the mountain with faith.  Moving the mountain is a “once and done” act, but being a friend in need, a friend indeed, touches the heart over a long period of time, and that touch will demonstrate God’s love and will draw the person to Him.

If you want to be “something,” love somebody with the love that God gives you to share.  P.S.  It might be harder than moving a mountain, but more satisfying.

1 Corinthians 2:11                                            Thoughts to Ponder

“For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him?  In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” (NIV).

 

This will not be long today, but if you will take some time to think about each statement or question, I assure you that it will be well worth the time spent.  I have chosen eight thoughts to consider today.

1. Even on my worst day, when I am most ashamed of myself, Jesus still calls me His friend, and He speaks to the Father on my behalf.
2. Probably someone you love needs to hear you express that love today.
3. When Jesus returns, will I be glad to have Him see what I am doing?
4. God sent His best. Jesus gave His all.  The least I can do is praise Him every day.
5. When I walk toward Christ, I walk away from sin.
6. Do you have a Christian heritage in your family? If so, thank God.  If not, thank God that you are beginning one.
7. When the lines of communication between God and me are not clear, guess who is at fault, and guess who is ready, willing, and able to strengthen and re-establish the connection.
8. Lord, show me how to make a difference in someone’s life today.

I hope and pray that these thoughts will draw you closer to our Lord today.

 

 

Luke 10:33-25                                               Who Is my Neighbor?

“A Samaritan traveling the road came on him.  When He saw the man’s condition, his heart went out to him.  He gave him first aid, disinfected and bandaged his wounds.  Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable.  In the morning he took two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take good care of him.  If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I’ll pay you on my way back.’” (MSG).

 

We are all familiar with the story of the good Samaritan, the stranger who stopped and helped a wounded man.  Maybe we are too familiar with it to think about what it really means.  Two other men had seen the injured man and didn’t help.  In fact, they both glanced at him and got away from him as fast as they could lest someone might see them and think they should help.  I’ve often wondered if either of the two had any later feelings of guilt for offering no help, or did they go on with their day without a second thought?  Evidently, whatever they were doing was more important to them than helping this man.  They were both important men who may have thought, “Someone else will take care of him.”  Guess what—someone did, a man whose business could wait until he helped a hurting man, a man who was beyond helping himself.  It seems like he was similar to David, whom God described as “having a heart for God.”  Jesus said, in Luke 6:31, “…Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them!”  He also said, in Matthew 22:39, “…Love others as well as you love yourself.”  I don’t think the Samaritan had had the opportunity to actually hear Jesus say those words.  He certainly didn’t have the opportunity to read them in the Bible, but they were in his heart.  We have all been created in the image of God, and I believe that these truths about caring for and loving others have been imprinted in ever human brain at birth, but we have allowed the world’s attitude of “me first,” to invade our brains and corrupt our thinking.

How many times have we had an opportunity to help someone and walked on by or were too busy?  Most often we “walk on by” not literally, but figuratively.  How often are we aware that someone needs some help, maybe to pick up some groceries, maybe to be given a ride to the store or doctor, maybe to just hear a kind word, maybe to be told about the love of Jesus?  I would venture to say that each of us knows someone right now who could use help of some kind.  Are we too busy to offer help or are we afraid to ask if someone needs help?  Many people who need help are too shy or too embarrassed to ask for help.  That doesn’t mean that they don’t need it.  I believe that God would have us think about others and their needs daily.  I think He would have us offer even before we are asked.  I have friends like that, who always seem to know when I need help and offer it before I ask.  They are precious people who think of others first, and they are respected throughout the community because “they have a heart for God.”  I am blessed to have friends like that, and I hope that you are equally blessed.  I want to be one of those people who thinks of others first and offers help even before it is asked.  Lord, make me aware of those around me, help me to think of their needs, and make me eager to be of help to friend or stranger.   In this world of “me first” we need many more people who have the heart of God.  So, who is my neighbor, or maybe, or who isn’t my neighbor?  Let’s let love and caring for others replace the “me first” attitude and see how our community, our county, our state, and our nation change.