daily IMPACT by selahV today

Love Doesn't Spoil

Love preserves.  It lasts forever.  It endures.  It does not fail.  We talk alot about the things we love in life.  Music--country or rock.  Activities--basketball, tennis, football.  Food--pickles, veggies, fruit.  In the previous post we talked a bit about the fruit of the Spirit described in Galatians 5:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22,23

I find it interesting that "love" heads up this list. I like love. I think love encases everything else. Each attribute helps germinate and grow our love--expand upon it, express it, manifest it. Love wraps around the other characteristics like the skin on an apple. Peel away the skin and the fruit inside begins to turn brown, then it dries up.

People can be gentle and not have love. They can show kindness but not have love. They can be patient and not have love. That's because the kind of love the Spirit gives is God Himself. God is love. Love is eternal. Love makes no room for deceit, anger, bitterness, selfishness, and irritability. Love is the core of our being. It is the seed that keep on growing and giving birth to more love.

Remember that old saying, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away"? Imagine my surprise when my doctor said pears have greater fiber and are better for our digestive system than apples. Unless I'm cutting it up for a fruit salad, I like my pears very firm and solid. When you chew pears, they have this kind of gritty texture. That grittiness is part of the fiber that is good for our digestive system. It permeates the pear like love permeates every part of our being.

Makes sense that after Jesus washed his disciples feet, just before his crucifixion he said: "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.” John 13:34-35

When we share God's love with others, people are better able to digest the world's evil, cruelty, and hatred and expel it from their hearts. Because of God's love in my life, and people who exhibit love toward me, I am able to eliminate the toxins that would otherwise poison my spirit and mind. I feel more secure, less inferior. I have more patience, get less irritated. Love generates love. God's love for me sustains me. My love for God keeps me obedient. Love is the pear we need every day to keep our Christian spirit fueled and our attitudes healthy. The more we love, the more we want to love. The more others love us, the more apt we are to love ourselves, and then, others as ourselves.

Guess that's why I like love-- it feels good. So good...I wanna share it. If I don't, my words are like a clanging cymbal--all noise. 

IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE, NOT Prophecy, NOR...

I cannot imagine what it would be like to "understand all mysteries", to have "all knowledge".  Can you?  I've been a Christian nearly 35 years and I still question "why".  I freely admit that I know a whole lot less about God and why He does what He does and allows what He allows than many people I know.  Sometimes that realization makes me wonder why in the world I even try to write to others about who God is to me.  But God keeps me writing (that's a mystery in itself).  I have no college degree.  Though I read a lot to be informed and knowledgeable about subjects I enjoy talking about, I am no expert on anything.  I sorely lack knowledge.

I've never moved a literal mountain and cast it into the sea.  But I have had the faith to see my share of mini-miracles.  Even in that, I stand amazed when God moves in my life; at times I've felt faithless when He didn't.  However, it is written: 

"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 have not love, I am nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:2

Prophecy, understanding, knowledge and faith are good things.  But without love, those things mean nothing.  God filled me up with His love when I gave my life to Him.  He exchanged my self-centered mind with new thoughts and I'm constantly renewing it in His grace.  He filled my selfish heart with a generosity and deep concern for others.  He gave me the desire to love others beyond myself, to put others above myself.  This love just kind of oozes out without me even trying sometimes.  Afterwards, even I am surprised that I do what I do or say what I say.  This is one area of my life in which I feel most happy--when I am loving another.  And that is what this thirteenth chapter in 1st Corinthians is all about.  Love.  Not prophecy, mysteries, knowledge or even faith.  It's about manifesting--showing, exemplifying--God's love.  Without it, I am nothing.

PRAYER:  Lord, fill me with Your willful committed love.  Instill in me the desire to so love the world that others will be drawn to You through Jesus Christ.   

IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE, NOT WORDS

I have often admired women who speak with eloquence and ease: Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer, Anne Graham Lotz.  I've had speaking engagements through the years as a Christian.  I've spoken to women's ministry events.  I've led training sessions for various ministries within the church.  But no matter how often I speak, I never feel totally at ease.  I'm much more comfortable writing than speaking.  My mind gets all excited with new thoughts and before I've finished one thought, I race on to another.  Sometimes it makes perfect sense to me, then I realize by the expressions of confused faces, that I have chased a rabbit down a trail.  That's when I have to back up and start over again.  I also have problems with interruptions.  If I'm interrupted in mid-sentence of paragraph (like when someone tries to finish my sentence for me), I forget where I was going and wind up looking quite emptied-headed.  In the final analysis of things, it doesn't matter near as much as I think it does.  For it is written: 

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." 1 Corinthians 13:1

More than articulate phrases and poetic oratory, the language of God is love.  And no matter how pretty I may sound, no matter how well I communicate words about love or God, if I do not own love and manifest love, my words are noise.  Without love my words are annoying.  Loud, ear-piercing, irritating, worthless noise.  That is it.

PRAYER: Lord, help me be more concerned about loving than sounding like I am loving.  Instill in my heart a desire to love others as You love.  Let my actions match my words. 

CAN LOVE FAIL?

In the course of life, we love without our love being returned.  In the eyes of the world it may be said that our love failed.  But that is not what God's word says.

"Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or come to and end]." 1 Corinthians 13:8a.  Though the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose of God will be fulfilled and pass away, love continues.  Though tongues are destroyed and cease, love is perpetual--eternal.  Though knowledge passes away and loses its value, love remains strong, current and relevant.  It's stored in heaven and retains its value.

We each love in hopes of having our love returned.  Sometimes it is not returned--nor do we see anything positive come of it.  We may think our love has failed, but it cannot fail.  We may not see the results we'd hoped our love would produce, but our love rests in the hands of the Father.  Love is of God...and when we love, it is returned to God.  Love that does not waver, that does not lose heart, that does not give up, that is patient and kind, steadfast and humble, cannot be erased or washed away.  The day will come when we will see the reward for all the love we show others.  The day will come when all we've done will be burned away...but love will show itself gold and silver.  selahV

[©  SelahV Today, 2008]   

SEE, I TOLD YOU SO...

She told her husband they shouldn't make that investment.  When it failed, she was so tempted to tell him she had warned him.  But when he told her their life's savings was gone, the look on his face broke her heart.  She knew he'd had their best interests at heart.  Adding salt to his wounds would accomplish nothing.  He needed encouragement.  He needed her to stand by him.

LOVE...

"it does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail." 1 Corinthians 13:6

"I-told-you-so" revels in another's pain and failure.  I doubt there is a single person who likes to hear those words.  It taunts another.  It provokes another.  It discourages another.  It points to oneself as somehow superior in prophetic knowledge.  It is pride.  It is not love.

So often we are quick to point out how right we are in a matter--how wrong another is.  How absent are our praises and affirmations when another does the right thing?  How silent is the air?  We live in an imperfect world, with imperfect people.  We go to church with imperfect people and it only stands to reason we will make mistakes as we try to serve one another in love.  Yet, the greatest mistake is failing to encourage one another and restore one another.   

Love affirms and validates.  Love reminds a person of their worth and value.  Love "rejoices in right and truth".  When we spend our time rejoicing, encouraging words drown out discouragement.  selahV

[© SelahV Today, 2008]         

   

TOUCHY, TOUCHY, TOUCHY...

"It's the little things that get on my nerves."

The toothpaste left on the counter.  The socks on the floor, the way he chews, the way she sneezes, the way he snores.  He's always late; she's always rushing me.  He owes me an apology.  She can't say she's sorry.  He gets a vacation.  Her work is never done.  She's always right.  He brooks no arguments.  Can't he call when he's going to be late?  Can't she see I'm reading the paper?  It's my birthday, for crying out loud.   Annnd, it's my bowling night.

No one's a winner in self-seeking appeasements.

"...Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]."  1 Corinthians 13:5cde.  Amplified.

It's not just being aggravated with another's flaws.  It's being over-sensitive to another's actions which impede the progress to our own desires and goals.  When we let another's habits or movements effect how we feel about that individual, then love has missed a step in our own lives.  We stumble over our own selfishness.  If we allow irritiations to take root in our minds, in time we will have full-blown bitterness bearing grudges and seeking vengeance or retribution.

Love--God's love in us--extinguishes that self-centered nature and replaces it with His own.  We become patient, tolerant and are able to condone the differences between others and ourselves.  Love seeks God and God empowers His children to manifest His Son by placing ourselves at the back of the line.  selahV

[© SelahV Today, 2008]    

      

PLEASE AND THANK YOU WOULD DO FOR STARTERS

Believe it or not when I was growing up I was not taught to say please and thank you.  I do not know why.  When we sat at the dinner table, food went from left to right around the table and so did the shakers and butter.  There was no "please pass the salt" in our house.  Most often we heard, "I need some... this or that."  There was this unspoken rule that someone would hand it to the other.  Not very mannerly, would you say?

I wonder if many misunderstandings, and hurt feelings in marriages and relationships could be avoided by simply minding our manners.  So often what we do or say at home with those we love is entirely different than how we interact with strangers.  We can be so rude to the people we love most.

LOVE...

"...it is not rude (unmannerly, and does not act unbecomingly."  1 Corinthians 13:5b  Amplified.

One of the most unbecoming habits I've worked on through the years is not interrupting.  I think I interrupt because I so easily forget my train of thought.  But instead of saving my thoughts till someone it done talking, I interrupt.  Now, that is the first sign of self-exaltation, don't you think?  Is what I have to say more important than what another has to say?  I don't think so.  And it is simply rude to think otherwise.  It's rude to interrupt my husband when he's on the phone or trying to watch the evening news.  It's rude to interrupt at the end of a basketball game with a two-point spread and his team is about to shoot a foulshot.  It's rude to expect him to drop what he is doing to do some minor thing for me.

Respect is a large part of being polite.  It's a large part of love.  To receive respect, one must render respect.  It's no wonder when people are yelling and screaming and snapping at one another that they feel they aren't loved by another.  It could be they never learned that love is not rude, or how to say please pass the salt.  selahV

[© SelahV Today, 2008]

WITHOUT SAYING A WORD

Every time the couples' class got together, Judy would cringe.  She knew that somewhere, sometime, her husband, Leonard would begin to brag about something he'd done.  He usually did it by telling other husbands what they ought to do for their wives.  "Did you see the new car I got Judy?"  "Judy, show Diane that sapphire I got you.  If you'd get your wife a rock like that, Jack, then she might bake you a pie or two."  Leonard was always calling attention to himself.

LOVE...

"It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride);..." 1 Corinthians 13:5a.  Amplified.

We've all heard the addages: He's got the big-head.  He's full of himself.  You probably have some of your own for a person who is known for an arrogant attitude, a conceited impression of themselves and a distorted understanding of their own worth.  Leonard's gifts for his wife Judy left her cold because she felt he only bought them so he could brag to others.  He did things for her and reminded her of everything he did over and over again.  Though she had more than most women could want, she never felt loved in the least.

Love is humble.  It is never conspicuous.  It loves without saying a word.  selahV

[© SelahV Today, 2008] 

LOVE DOESN'T KEEP SCORECARDS

Every morning Carl rose to make the coffee.  While it perked, he warmed his wife's mug.  Then he delivered it to her in bed along with the morning newspaper and returned to the kitchen to make breakfast.  After breakfast they read their Bibles together, had a devotional time, prayed for all the missionaries having birthdays that day, and prayed for one another.  It's the way they began their day every day they were together. 

"Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily." 1 Corinthians 4.  Amplified.

Very few people knew of this ritual.  Carl's humble dedication to making the first part of his wife's day inviting and peaceful was one of hundreds of ways he manifested the love he had for her during their forty-plus years of marriage.  It was a little thing....nothing one would find reported in the frontpage of her morning newspaper.  Isn't this the kind of love we need to express for one another?  Little things.  Things that call no attention to ourselves.  Things done with another's pure pleasure, comfort and encouragement in mind.

When we show love we do not seek to bring attention to ourselves.  Love is not a look-at-me-and-what-I-did kind of thing.  It does not keep scorecards to mount and display for public inspection.  Love just loves and then loves some more.  selahV

[© SelahV Today, 2008]

   

   

THIS IS NEVER LOVE...

"I can't help it," she says. "I want his undivided attention.  I love him.  If he loves me, shouldn't he want to be with me?  I don't want him to have other friends."  Even when he talks to other people, it upsets her.  He goes to work and she calls him several times a day to interrogate him.  What is he doing?  Who is he talking to?  Where did he go for lunch?

But that is not all.

He reads the paper and she slams cabinet doors.  He watches a football game and she pouts in the bedroom.  He talks to his mother on the phone and she is infuriated.  He gets a commendation from work and she doesn't congratulate him.  He helps a neighbor mow his lawn and she reminds him of the bedroom she wanted him to paint.  He plays with their children and she turns up the volume on the television.  He buys her flowers for a surprise and she is suspicious of his motives. 

"Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy;..." 1 Corinthians 13:4ab.  Amplified.

Some folks think if they say they love someone that it makes it so.  The wife above insists that she loves her husband; but this is not love.  Her actions reveal otherwise. 

This kind of jealousy is not uniquely specific to wives or husbands.  It can be that of one Christian towards another.  Children with children.  Parents with children and children with parents.  Coworkers with coworkers.  Friends with friends.  God loves us but His love is big enough to allow us to love others and have relationships that benefit others.  Love encourages, "love is not jealous".  Love trusts.  selahV

[© SelahV Today, 2008]