Lessons on Love

I realized this morning that my blog posts have been scattered at best over the past few weeks.  It is not for lack of activity in our household.  We are actually dealing with a lot right now, but it is not always things that are blog worthy.  They would make for an interesting story for sure.  But, sometimes things are very personal.  Now when I say that I want to be clear.  We are all ok and surviving.  But, we are dealing with some hard stuff.
Primarily we have been dealing with Teen Depression.
And then ocassionally we have our "Lucas" moments that get tossed into the mix.
Then there is the finacial challenges.
Some of the topics are hard to share in detail.
The good?
God has been teaching me about LOVE.
That sounds so simplistic.
But, here's the thing.
Over my lifetime, Faith in God has not been a struggle.  I have always felt His presence in my life in some way, shape or form.  It has grown and been challenged for sure, but overall I have believed God exists and known about Jesus and salvation and all that goes with that.  To me it's sort of a "basic".  I can't imagine not breathing.  I can't imagine not having Faith.  Call it a "gift".  But, it is what it is.  There is not an incling of doubt to me that God exisits, is alive and desires all to Know Him.  (and by the way there will be a day when "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord" just a head's up on that one)

I have learned that I have a long way to go to even catch a glimpse of His Glory.

But, Faith.  It's been there.

Recently, however, the most basic of Christian concepts has surfaced for me in a very real and tangible way.

Love 

I have been challenged to Love.

And to Love Well.

Overall, am I a loving person?  I hope so.
But, I am talking about that deep well within all of us that desires to be loved and also to give love.

I have been reading and rereading the "Love" chapeter in the Bible--slowly, deliberately, repeatedly...
1 Corinthians 13

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues,they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

I have so much to learn. 

One thing I have realized is that indeed Faith is important...of course it is, for the sake of our salvation in Christ, it is important. 

But, these words have recently hit me... 

if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing

Wow, that is just humbling right there.  A bit of a kick in the gut.  Have I carried a pride in my "faith" that has gotten in the way of loving people well?  My faith really means nothing if I don't love outside the box.  If I don't demonstrate love to my son who is struggling with his faith, my faith means absolutely nothing.  If I don't see my other son through his illogical meltdown or verbal attack, my faith means nothing.   If I don't encourage my husband from every angle when finacially things don't make sense, my faith means nothing.  They all need my Love---not "my" faith.  

In the end it is LOVE that remains.  

We all know people that walk around carrying their "faith" on their shoulder like some proud peacock. 

Perhaps I'm guilty. 

But, how does that help if that same person can't see beyond the surface and into the heart of the person who is hurting?  What if the person they are trying to love is asking for space from all things "God"?  "Don't shove God down my throat?" or the person they are trying to love pushes them away because of  unexplained hurt from their past?  

Is it more important for me to get my feathers in a ruffle or to just hug him and love him well?

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Obviously, I will never fully be able to accomplish a perfect love here on this earth.  So if I fail, please forgive me.  

Ultimately God is LOVE--

and fortunately He has a Perfect Love 

So glad to be covered in that kind of Love and be learning from the Master!

I have a long way to go.