Let's begin with our scripture (Paul really causes us to reflect deeply here)
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.
Today I want to look a little deeper into love always trusts. Remember that love here means agape, which is God's perfect, unconditional love. And I want to begin in the physical and move into the spiritual.
Brothers and Sisters, I almost skipped this one. Trust seems to be one of those things that does not come naturally for me. Perhaps I am was born with a flawed trust gene. I can honestly say, this has been a monster in my life. But God, true to form, has even taught me how to trust. Praise Him!
The King James Version does not say love always trusts. It actually says love believes all things. Anyone out there has ever seen the damage infidelity can do in a relationship will agree that it is a foolish thing thing to trust when someone has proven themselves untrustworthy. God is not telling us to be fools. What Paul is saying here is that we need give our loved ones the benefit of the doubt.
The word of the day here is intentionality. I am stricken with the horrid foot-in-the-mouth disease. Things fly out of my mouth with the greatest intentions of kindness and love; however, the misinterpretation of those same things can leave others with hurt feelings. Most of the time I think of a better way to say things 2 or 3 days after I have already manifested the symptoms of my ailment. If people who love me did not trust that I say things with good intentions, I would be a very lonely person.
Paul is saying to us that when there is a question of malice, or wrongdoing, that we should give the benefit of the doubt and believe that people are not out to harm us. I think that is where trust begins to work. Trust begins to work in that space between action and response. If the action which can be a word or deed occurs, and that causes us some sort of offense, then our loving trust will affect our response. When we can say to ourselves that whatever that person did that hurt us was not intended to hurt us, and quickly forgive them we are practicing this principal of believing all things.
This principal also allows us to be genuinely affectionate and loving to people. When we do not look for the best in others we are automatically on our guard and our communication both verbal and nonverbal seems false. It's that to wide smile or too perky hello (and people pick up on it--don't do that folks). We cannot be effective witnesses, effective living epistles, if we cannot believe all things.
God loves us with the kind of love Paul writes about in 1 Corinthians 13. God has given us more than the benefit of the doubt through the remission of all sins of believers by the blood of Jesus Christ. God has said to us that he knows we messed up. He knows we have fallen short. But He still loves us, and he has provided a way for us to maintain a loving relationship with Him.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Love always Protects
Brothers, this one is for us.
If you have not figured it out already, I am a Black man. As such, I feel like I can write certain things about my people that others cannot. Brace yourselves brothers, this may sting a bit.
I was talking to a brother yesterday. He has a 2 year old son, and his eyes light up when he talks about his wife and his kid. It was a joy to just listen to him talk about his family. He has been affected by this economy and he is working a second job, and he was greatful that he has the opportunity to put in some extra hours so he can put his family in a better position. He didn't complain, he didn't groan, he was the consummate protector, doing whatever he needed to do to make sure his family survives.
It is not secret that our culture is sick. It no longer functions as a way to transmit positive values. Our women are exhausted. They are jaded on the prospect of finding a decent man. They are overworked and underappreciated. They are sagging under the weight of carrying dual roles. More of our young men are in jail and prison than in college. And brothers, it is all our fault! Love always protects, and we have not been protecting our women and children.
The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:7 the following about love
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Brothers, we have not loved our families the way God would have us to love our families for several generations. Our children and our women bear the scars of our failures. While we languish in front of the TV playing Madden, or behind bars because we were not man enough to work for what we wanted. And while we were so busy loving ourselves, and pleasing ourselves, our women were busy playing the man.
We have failed to protect our loved ones. The Greek translation of the term is: to cover. We have not covered our loved ones. Men it is our job to cover in every circumstance. We must cover from the elements, cover from hunger, cover from nakedness, cover from the world, cover in prayer, cover in affection, cover in teaching, cover in everything. We must be willing to go out and fight, and possibly lose our very lives for the ones we love---and not just when we feel brave.
You'll notice the term always precedes protects. That term is unconditional. Always is always. So we are to put aside our needs to protect the objects of our love regardless of the circumstance. Try this, ask yourself what do you protect? Your car? Your home? Your Jordans? Your bank account? Your reputation? What do you make sure is always secure. That, my friend is what you love.
Let's look at this outside of the physical realm. I'm writing to Christian men now. Brothers, if we love Jesus, have we sought to protect him? It is very true, Jesus does not need our protection. But do we maintain a vigilant heart against those that would pervert, denounce, or otherwise compromise the word of God? Brothers, if we love Jesus, then how can we allow people to smear his precious name in our presence without uttering a single word?
Jesus provides the perfect example of protection on the cross. His blood is our covering. It conceals our wickedness from a just God who has to punish sin. Jesus endured terrible pain, and then death to protect us-who he loves. He gave all for us. In doing so he provided a prefect example of how far we should be willing to go to cover those we love.
Men, let's stand up and love our women and children properly. Let's put ourselves aside and become the protectors God designed us to be. It begins by repenting and believing in Christ. Understanding his love and protection is the beginning of understanding how we are to love and protect.
Love always protects.
If you have not figured it out already, I am a Black man. As such, I feel like I can write certain things about my people that others cannot. Brace yourselves brothers, this may sting a bit.
I was talking to a brother yesterday. He has a 2 year old son, and his eyes light up when he talks about his wife and his kid. It was a joy to just listen to him talk about his family. He has been affected by this economy and he is working a second job, and he was greatful that he has the opportunity to put in some extra hours so he can put his family in a better position. He didn't complain, he didn't groan, he was the consummate protector, doing whatever he needed to do to make sure his family survives.
It is not secret that our culture is sick. It no longer functions as a way to transmit positive values. Our women are exhausted. They are jaded on the prospect of finding a decent man. They are overworked and underappreciated. They are sagging under the weight of carrying dual roles. More of our young men are in jail and prison than in college. And brothers, it is all our fault! Love always protects, and we have not been protecting our women and children.
The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:7 the following about love
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Brothers, we have not loved our families the way God would have us to love our families for several generations. Our children and our women bear the scars of our failures. While we languish in front of the TV playing Madden, or behind bars because we were not man enough to work for what we wanted. And while we were so busy loving ourselves, and pleasing ourselves, our women were busy playing the man.
We have failed to protect our loved ones. The Greek translation of the term is: to cover. We have not covered our loved ones. Men it is our job to cover in every circumstance. We must cover from the elements, cover from hunger, cover from nakedness, cover from the world, cover in prayer, cover in affection, cover in teaching, cover in everything. We must be willing to go out and fight, and possibly lose our very lives for the ones we love---and not just when we feel brave.
You'll notice the term always precedes protects. That term is unconditional. Always is always. So we are to put aside our needs to protect the objects of our love regardless of the circumstance. Try this, ask yourself what do you protect? Your car? Your home? Your Jordans? Your bank account? Your reputation? What do you make sure is always secure. That, my friend is what you love.
Let's look at this outside of the physical realm. I'm writing to Christian men now. Brothers, if we love Jesus, have we sought to protect him? It is very true, Jesus does not need our protection. But do we maintain a vigilant heart against those that would pervert, denounce, or otherwise compromise the word of God? Brothers, if we love Jesus, then how can we allow people to smear his precious name in our presence without uttering a single word?
Jesus provides the perfect example of protection on the cross. His blood is our covering. It conceals our wickedness from a just God who has to punish sin. Jesus endured terrible pain, and then death to protect us-who he loves. He gave all for us. In doing so he provided a prefect example of how far we should be willing to go to cover those we love.
Men, let's stand up and love our women and children properly. Let's put ourselves aside and become the protectors God designed us to be. It begins by repenting and believing in Christ. Understanding his love and protection is the beginning of understanding how we are to love and protect.
Love always protects.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
The Love Doctor 14: Love rejoices in truth
For many, many years I was lost. I was headed to hell in gasoline soaked underwear. But the worst thing about my pitiful condition was that the Christians in my life knew it; and no one said anything at all.
Friends, I can thank a merciful God for reaching in and pulling me out of the murky waters of unrepentant sin. God allowed me to dig a hole so deep that I had no other choice but to turn to Him. And when I learned the truth, I did rejoice. When I learned how wicked my own heart was, I praised God for that knowledge. Read Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
What the weeping prophet is telling us here is that our desires speak lies to us above all things. The things we gravitate toward are wicked hateful things. Brothers and Sisters, that verse set me free. That verse spoke to me like John 3:16 speaks to many other believers. That verse told me to take whatever I wanted and hold up against the truth, which is the word of God, and see if they match. When I understood that, it was like seeing for the first time. I was able to truly rejoice in the truth.
You see before I understood that verse I was like that boat lost at sea, being tossed about according to the weather. I said and did whatever I felt like doing. I believed that horrible lie the culture tells us. Our flawed system tells us to do what feels right. The culture told me that God put the desires I had in my heart so they couldn't be wrong. When the spirit revealed to me the truth in that verse, I became stable. My walk began to straighten out. My thoughts became crystal clear, because I understood that I could not trust what was in my heart, and I must depend on the word of God to guide me.
Friends, I said all that to get to my real point. You cannot love fully until you love in the truth. You cannot love in truth until you know the truth. Let's look at our text:
When we love with an agape love, we find joy when others experience the truth. We rejoice when the Holy Spirit reveals the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost soul and that new name is entered into the book of life. We almost hear the angels sing when that brave soul takes the long walk down the aisle at church to begin the process of salvation.
Brothers and sisters when we really rejoice in truth we do not remain silent when others around us do not know the truth. You cannot really know the gospel and not want to share it. How much do you have to hate someone to not share the gospel (some of you will get that later). C.S. Lewis wrote (and I'm paraphrasing here) that there is a kind of joy that produces a seriousness or sense of purpose. That joy wants us all to be saved, so we can all rejoice in the truth.
Love rejoices in the truth!
Friends, I can thank a merciful God for reaching in and pulling me out of the murky waters of unrepentant sin. God allowed me to dig a hole so deep that I had no other choice but to turn to Him. And when I learned the truth, I did rejoice. When I learned how wicked my own heart was, I praised God for that knowledge. Read Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
What the weeping prophet is telling us here is that our desires speak lies to us above all things. The things we gravitate toward are wicked hateful things. Brothers and Sisters, that verse set me free. That verse spoke to me like John 3:16 speaks to many other believers. That verse told me to take whatever I wanted and hold up against the truth, which is the word of God, and see if they match. When I understood that, it was like seeing for the first time. I was able to truly rejoice in the truth.
You see before I understood that verse I was like that boat lost at sea, being tossed about according to the weather. I said and did whatever I felt like doing. I believed that horrible lie the culture tells us. Our flawed system tells us to do what feels right. The culture told me that God put the desires I had in my heart so they couldn't be wrong. When the spirit revealed to me the truth in that verse, I became stable. My walk began to straighten out. My thoughts became crystal clear, because I understood that I could not trust what was in my heart, and I must depend on the word of God to guide me.
Friends, I said all that to get to my real point. You cannot love fully until you love in the truth. You cannot love in truth until you know the truth. Let's look at our text:
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
When we love with an agape love, we find joy when others experience the truth. We rejoice when the Holy Spirit reveals the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost soul and that new name is entered into the book of life. We almost hear the angels sing when that brave soul takes the long walk down the aisle at church to begin the process of salvation.
Brothers and sisters when we really rejoice in truth we do not remain silent when others around us do not know the truth. You cannot really know the gospel and not want to share it. How much do you have to hate someone to not share the gospel (some of you will get that later). C.S. Lewis wrote (and I'm paraphrasing here) that there is a kind of joy that produces a seriousness or sense of purpose. That joy wants us all to be saved, so we can all rejoice in the truth.
Love rejoices in the truth!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
The Love Doctor 13: Love does not delight in evil
My youngest son is 6. He is, like my oldest, a delightful young man. The little one is a bit more bouncy and much more talkative than the big one. He tends also to have a very tender heart, and an inflated sense of himself which makes for a very interesting combination.
One day, while playing T-ball he was going to try to catch the ball, and he fell down in the process, missing the ball altogether. The manner in which he did it, his body position, facial expression, and woeful misjudgement of where the ball would be was comical---as younger children playing anything can sometimes be. Well, Elijah happened to look in the stands and saw me laughing at his error. He didn't like that one bit and he let me know. Elijah does not like to be laughed at unless he is trying to be funny. Lesson learned, I have tried to not laugh at him when he is serious about something; and his mannerism makes that very hard to do. I fail from time to time and for a 6 year old, he can give some pretty dirty looks. Anyway, the topic today is again from Paul's epistle to the Corinthians:
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.
I should not have laughed at my son. It is clear here that Paul wants us to be on our guard against taking pleasure in other people's misfortune, sin, or the consequences thereof. That is a rather Innocent example, but look at how that same thing plays itself out in other ways. Do you enjoy it when that unfaithful spouse is finally caught, and the other spouse is granted a divorce? When the IRS audits that neighbor who has been claiming his cat and dog on his taxes as dependents, do you breath a sigh of relief? What about that busybody at the office? Does your face assume a satisfied look when the boss finally sees all of the trouble that person is causing? When that fast talking, prosperity preaching television evangelist gets caught up in a scandal, do you post it up on facebook and say I told you so? Are you happy when someone knocks the stuffing out of that bully at school? What about that braggart who has been telling everyone about their new car. When they total loss that car, do you secretly rejoice? What about when that family member's big 6 room mansion burns to the ground. Do you celebrate in your inner self as long as everyone gets out safely?
The other day, I was talking to a lady, who has not spoken to her sister in over 5 years because of something her sister did concerning their mother's estate. In the conversation this little old Christian lady stated over and over again that her sister would get her just reward in this life or the next. This little old lady who makes snacks and cakes and coffee for the whole building spoke nothing but evil into her sisters life. But are we not all guilty of delighting in evil?
Recently I saw a television show of a popular boxer almost coming to blows with his father. What was worse was what that same man said about his father to his face. He was so very disrespectful to his father, and the Bible is clear that we are to honor our mother and father. I did not like the man after I saw that. Recently, that man got sentenced to jail and I did rejoice. Why? Because I was not in the spirit, but in the flesh. If I had been operating in the spirit, and allowing the fruit of agape love to flow through me, I would have prayed for that young man. Instead I said to myself---that dude got exactly what he deserved. I was delighting in evil, and it is right for me to repent of that sin.
Brothers and Sisters, do not rejoice when others fall upon hard times for whatever reason. Trust me, I know that is easier said than done. However, you can be more mindful of your heart in this matter now. Don't you want people to show you compassion when you have evil befall you. I know I do. Suffering is real whether it be self-inflicted or otherwise. The bigger picture is the condition of that persons soul when they die, not necessarily how they live. Showing compassion to people when they are at their lowest point is a very Christ-like thing to do. When the world scorns them, Christians should embrace them, pray for them and love them anyway! Do not delight in evil.
One day, while playing T-ball he was going to try to catch the ball, and he fell down in the process, missing the ball altogether. The manner in which he did it, his body position, facial expression, and woeful misjudgement of where the ball would be was comical---as younger children playing anything can sometimes be. Well, Elijah happened to look in the stands and saw me laughing at his error. He didn't like that one bit and he let me know. Elijah does not like to be laughed at unless he is trying to be funny. Lesson learned, I have tried to not laugh at him when he is serious about something; and his mannerism makes that very hard to do. I fail from time to time and for a 6 year old, he can give some pretty dirty looks. Anyway, the topic today is again from Paul's epistle to the Corinthians:
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.
I should not have laughed at my son. It is clear here that Paul wants us to be on our guard against taking pleasure in other people's misfortune, sin, or the consequences thereof. That is a rather Innocent example, but look at how that same thing plays itself out in other ways. Do you enjoy it when that unfaithful spouse is finally caught, and the other spouse is granted a divorce? When the IRS audits that neighbor who has been claiming his cat and dog on his taxes as dependents, do you breath a sigh of relief? What about that busybody at the office? Does your face assume a satisfied look when the boss finally sees all of the trouble that person is causing? When that fast talking, prosperity preaching television evangelist gets caught up in a scandal, do you post it up on facebook and say I told you so? Are you happy when someone knocks the stuffing out of that bully at school? What about that braggart who has been telling everyone about their new car. When they total loss that car, do you secretly rejoice? What about when that family member's big 6 room mansion burns to the ground. Do you celebrate in your inner self as long as everyone gets out safely?
The other day, I was talking to a lady, who has not spoken to her sister in over 5 years because of something her sister did concerning their mother's estate. In the conversation this little old Christian lady stated over and over again that her sister would get her just reward in this life or the next. This little old lady who makes snacks and cakes and coffee for the whole building spoke nothing but evil into her sisters life. But are we not all guilty of delighting in evil?
Recently I saw a television show of a popular boxer almost coming to blows with his father. What was worse was what that same man said about his father to his face. He was so very disrespectful to his father, and the Bible is clear that we are to honor our mother and father. I did not like the man after I saw that. Recently, that man got sentenced to jail and I did rejoice. Why? Because I was not in the spirit, but in the flesh. If I had been operating in the spirit, and allowing the fruit of agape love to flow through me, I would have prayed for that young man. Instead I said to myself---that dude got exactly what he deserved. I was delighting in evil, and it is right for me to repent of that sin.
Brothers and Sisters, do not rejoice when others fall upon hard times for whatever reason. Trust me, I know that is easier said than done. However, you can be more mindful of your heart in this matter now. Don't you want people to show you compassion when you have evil befall you. I know I do. Suffering is real whether it be self-inflicted or otherwise. The bigger picture is the condition of that persons soul when they die, not necessarily how they live. Showing compassion to people when they are at their lowest point is a very Christ-like thing to do. When the world scorns them, Christians should embrace them, pray for them and love them anyway! Do not delight in evil.
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