One afternoon, almost a year to the day they had arrived, Tom and Marty were rocking on the new swing they had just installed on their front porch. The sun was warm, the breeze full of the scent of pine and the bees were busy gathering nectar. The sound of a woodpecker finding bugs echoed out there in the woods.
“Franklin Conner came by the office to talk with me today,” Tom shared with his wife.
“Really? What did he want?”
“I think this last year has been hard on him, especially the last six months. He’s lonely and lost. We talked for quite a while. I think he’s ready to listen now to what God has to say about love. His heart seems to be open to it at least.”
“Will he ever change?” Marty asked.
“Only God knows,” Tom answered, “I hope so, for his sake.”
As they rocked back and forth, his arm around her and enjoying the beauty of their world, he added, “I wish I could convince people not to manipulate others to do their bidding. It doesn’t matter if it’s requiring people to attend Bible Study, or prayer meetings, or raising your child this way, or that. It’s so destructive. It only causes resentment and harm. Even if they think they’re doing that person some good. Without God’s love, it becomes commanding, judgmental and heartless. We need to avoid telling anyone what to do, unless it’s done in God’s True Love and wisdom. Our Lord is totally capable of directing his children without our interference and we need to allow Him to do so and let Him work within, as He sees fit. After all He knows best.”
“Is there an easy way to know that you really love others in the right way?” Marty asked.
Tom thought for a moment, then smiled, “I think I’d use the fire test. If you’re willing to go into a fire to save them, risking your own life and knowing you might die, then you’re loving them God’s way, aren’t you.”
Marty nodded her head in agreement. There were those she would definitely risk her life for, but others she would not, if she was honest with herself. Even though she would want to, her love wasn’t strong enough to do it for everyone. She’d have to work on that.
Tom continued, “A sign of a mature Christian is producing the Fruits of His Spirit, having a heart for serving God among our fellow man, and dedicating themselves to prayer, and lots of it. We must always strive to learn God’s way of loving, which doesn’t come naturally to us, because we live in a sinful world. As His children, we need to let go and let God. The world won’t come to an end, if we don’t get our way. We must trust Him. And with all those we know and those that come into our lives, we should strive to love them by being patient, kind, and not envious or proud. We must let them walk with God, and not dishonor them, nor seek our needs over theirs, but meet those needs. We must avoid anger, and keep no records of wrongs. As God loves, so should we. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails. And neither should we, if we wish to be his children.”
“Every Christian should strive to love, and with God’s love, not our own. That is the ultimate and highest goal for every Christian… to love in True Love.”
Author’s Note
Over my long years, I have seen so many in our churches directing without love, not allowing God to work. Our churches should be a place of love and peace, and not of control and disapproval. There will be times when others seek our advice and help, and we should gladly give it, but be sure to do so in God’s love.
May God grant you the wisdom to see His truth, the desire to study Him through His Word, and may you reach the ultimate stage of maturity in Christ, by loving as He does.
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1 Peter 4:8 “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
Romans 13:10 “Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 “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. 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. 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.”
1 John 3:16 “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”
1 John 4:7 “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.”
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