God has a way of teaching us powerful lessons. For example, consider this is true story:
“One day my husband and I got into an argument and ended up yelling at each other. I retreated to the porch and sat with my head in my hands, crying. Our two-year old overheard the argument. ‘I love you, Mom,’ she said, as she sat beside me and put her arms around me. ‘I love you, too,’ I said. She rested her head on my shoulder, hugging me hard. ‘I wish you could love Daddy, too,’ she said. Talk about ripping your heart out! ‘But I do love your Daddy. We just had a disagreement.’ With that my daughter smiled, got up and walked away. ‘Where are you going?’ I asked. She replied, ‘I’m going to tell Daddy you love him!’
If you are going to expose your children to your anger, be sure you also expose them when you forgive each other. Teach them how to deal with the issue – without attacking the person. You may need to teach them things you were never taught. Forgive when you’re hurt and don’t take your resentments to bed. Jesus said you must forgive “so that your Father in heaven may forgive you” (Mark 11:25). So, do it for your children’s sake.
Tags: forgiveness, love, marriage
After the 1992 Los Angeles riots, Steve Futterman of CBC radio broadcast an interview he had with one of the riot’s many looters. The man had been one of many people who had looted a record store. When asked what he had stolen, the man replied, “Gospel tapes. I love Jesus.”
What’s wrong with that picture? Can it be that loving Jesus has no connection with character? Is Christian music simply a part of our culture, but not a part of our heart? A person can wear a cross around his/her neck as a symbol, but not have any relationship with Jesus Who died there for us. It would do us all good to reflect on the above story and ask ourselves just how genuine our love for Jesus really is.
Tags: character, love, stealing
One Sunday after worship, a pastor found a small, stuffed animal in one of the pews. It was tattered and very dirty. His first impulse was to throw it away. Then he realized the fact it had been brought along to church indicating it was loved by some child.
Often we look at someone who is worn or diseased, tattered and torn by life, and our first reaction is to turn away. The way we react to them says in effect, “You are worthless.” Yet, if we allow the love of God to control us, we cannot reject any person, regardless of their condition.
Everyone, no matter what their inner or outer condition, is loved by God. Jesus taught us this when He said, “Anyone who comes to me, I will never drive away.”
Think about the lesson of the loved stuffed animal today when you come upon someone unlovely.
Tags: grace, love, mercy, sin
Someone once wrote a critical letter to newspaper columnist Abigail Van Buren that went “Dear Abby,
“We have neighbors who have two children in high school and one in college, but the parents act like a couple of teenagers. When the husband comes home from work, the wife runs out to the street to meet him, and he carries her into the house piggyback! If the husband is repairing the roof, she is right up there with him. If he’s under their car, she’s there, too. When they sit in church, they hold hands and read out of the same book when hers is right beside her, closed. What do you think of people like them? – St. Petersburg, Fla.”
Abby replied, “Dear St. Petersburg, “I think your neighbors know the secret of real happiness. God bless them.”
Do you agree or disagree? Why?
Tags: Dear Abby, love, marriage
In a Peanuts cartoon Linus announced to his cranky sister, Lucy, that he’s going to be a doctor. “You, a doctor?” she asked. “How can you be a doctor? You don’t love mankind.” Linus replied, “I do too love mankind. It’s people I can’t stand.”
Paul gave us a description of Christian love in 1 Corinthians 13. He listed 15 specific actions that can be taken only toward individuals. Love must be specific and it is a verb (action word).
My favorite demonstration of this is found in the 1989 movie ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ Cranky Miss Daisy was embarrassed that she hadto have a driver haul her around and treated him as an insult. Yet Hoke, the driver, faithfully served her and put up with her crankiness. And, in time, the relationship grew. That was a wonderful lesson in humble servant-hood and demonstrated love.
Tags: humor, love, service
An elderly man lay in a hospital, with his wife of 55 years sitting at his bedside. “Is that you, Ethel, at my side again?” he whispered.
“Yes, dear,” she answered.
He softly said to her, “Remember years ago when I was in the Veteran’s Hospital? You were with me then. You were with me when we lost everything in a fire. And Ethel, when we were poor – you stuck with me then, too.” The man sihed and said, “I tell you, Ethel, you are bad luck!”
This humorous story helps us to see how easy people like us can twist love into something it really isn’t. Let’s recognize the love of Christ for what it is.
Tags: love, luck
Jesus said, “I give you a new commandment…love one another” (John 13:34).
This “new commandment” Jesus gave is truly amazing when you consider its historical background:
First, there was the Law of Revenge. Before Moses, the law of the land was the law of the jungle. It said, “If you hurt me I’ll hurt you – and then some!” Enemies actively sought ways to settle old scores because revenge wasn’t just acceptable – it was encouraged.
Next, there was the Law of Retribution. In Moses’ time revenge was replaced with retribution which allowed, “An eye for eye, and a tooth for tooth,” but no more (Ex. 20:25). You could do to your enemies only what they’d done to you. That was progress!
Now, there’s the Law of Love. When Jesus said, “I give you a new commandment…love one another,” it was a radically different approach. It meant you didn’t have to get even, you could choose to forgive instead. This new commandment demonstrates the unconditional, sacrificial love God shows to us – then calls us to live the same way!
Tags: Law, love