They were both cut short because the app on my phone decided it didn't want to stay open. It just closed and all the writing I did was gone.
Today I spoke in chapel at the school we have where I work. I talked to the youth about the most misused 4 letter word. L-O-V-E. I have talked, preached, read and written a lot about love in the past. Today I got to see some of the faces of people who had never considered that love wasn't about how someone else makes me feel.
First I asked all of them to come up with their own definition of love. What does love mean to each one of them. Then I let a few of them share their definition. The first one was really good. Actually all but one of the definitions that they gave were pretty good. The one that wasn't on the same level of the rest was that love is how you feel towards people you care about. Now remember that I am never saying that anyone has the wrong definition of love. What love is to you is up to you...I was just trying to show them that there is more involved than the fact that someone else makes me feel good when they're around so that is love.
We read 1 Cor. 13 and discussed it for a few minutes. Then I gave my definition of love. I told them that I think love is an act based on my character for the selfless promotion of someone else. It isn't based on what they say or do. It isn't based on what they can do for me. If I love you because you love me...that is easy. What about the person that doesn't love you? What about the person who isn't kind to you? The bigger question is can you walk in love towards someone who does something that is wrong to someone that you truly love. People all the time will talk about how you can say what you want about me, but as soon as you start talking about my family it is on! How is that love?
I believe in defending my family and friends. I will let you know you are not right if you start saying things that aren't true about the people I care about. But I am going to always do my best to walk in love with you just the same.
I know that walking in love is not easy. I also know that I am NOT the perfect example of love. All I am saying is that I am trying. I will continue to try. Today brought it all back up in front of my face. I hadn't studied love or anything really about love in a while. Walking in love is something that I want to be known for. I don't care what else I leave behind, I want people to see God's love in me. If that is all you know about me that is fine.
1 comment:
Well said Michael. I truly believe that love is both the best and the hardest thing to do toward everyone. And that is why God says "the greatest of these is love". It isn't always easy to love people who have wronged you or someone you care so much about. But we are supposed to I think that many people forget that God IS Love, wants us to love others, and act in love and not judgment and condemnation. V
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