“How’s Your Love Life?”
“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:8-12, 19)
I ran across the following illustration in my file on advice kids have on the topic of love:“Love is like an avalanche where you have to run for your life.” -- John, age 9 “No one is sure why it happens, but I heard it has something to do with how you smell. That's why perfume and deodorant are so popular.” -- Mae, age 9 “My mother says to look for a man who is kind. That's what I'll do. I'll find somebody who's kinda tall and kinda handsome.” -- Carolyn, age 8 “It gives me a headache to think about that stuff. I'm just a kid. I don't need that kind of trouble.” - Kenny, age 7 “One of you should know how to write a check. Because, even if you have tons of love, there is still going to be a lot of bills.” -- Ava, age 9 “Most men are brainless, so you might have to try more than once to find a live one.” -- Angie, age 10 “[Being] single is better . . . for the simple reason that I wouldn't want to change no diapers. Of course, if I did get married, I'd figure something out. I'd just phone my mother and have her come over for some coffee and diaper-changing.” -- Kirsten, age 10 “It's never okay to kiss a boy. They always slobber all over you. That's why I stopped doing it.” -- Tammy, age 10 “People in love act all mooshy. Like puppy dogs, except puppy dogs don't wag their tails nearly as much.” -- Arnold, age 10 “See if the man picks up the check. That's how you can tell if he's in love.” -- John, age 9 “You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.” -- Allan, age 10 “No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with.” -- Kirsten, age 10 “Shake your hips and hope for the best.” -- Camille, age 9 “It's love if they order one of those desserts that are on fire. They like to order those because it's just like how their hearts are -- on fire.” -- Christine, age 9 “Spend most of your time loving instead of going to work.” -- Dick, age 7 “Be a good kisser. It might make your wife forget that you never take out the trash.” -- Erin, age 8 “Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.” -- Lynnette, age 8 “Don't say you love somebody and then change your mind. Love isn't like picking what movie you want to watch.” -- Natalie, age 9
Valentines Day is upon us. Ahh - The Season of Love. Well, maybe at least a day of love. Well, maybe at least dinner and a movie. Or well, maybe at least a handful of flowers and a box of chocolates? Or well, maybe at least a card and a couple candy kisses? Or how about at least a hug and a peck on the cheek? How are you going to express love to your loved one this year? (If you haven’t figured this one out yet you better do so quickly. The couch can be a cold, lonely place to sleep!) How you express love depends upon your understanding of what love is. If our understanding of love is flawed, our expression of love will be flawed as well. One of the great problems we constantly face is the confusion about what love actually is. If you doubt what I am saying go ahead and Google the question, “What is love?” I did just that. It triggered 198 million responses. Amazing! 198 million people think they’ve figured it out and their answer is important enough to post it on the internet. I find that rather remarkable in a world that is overflowing with war and conflict. Have no doubt about it; Most of the world is still very perplexed about this crazy little thing called love and how to express it properly to one another.
That’s partly why God has given us the Bible. The central theme of the Bible is that our majestic, all-powerful, all-knowing, perfectly holy God is passionately in love with imperfect, sometimes openly rebellious, frequently indifferent people like you and me. C. S. Lewis once said, “God, who needs nothing, loves into existence wholly superfluous creatures in order that He may love and perfect them.” Love has no significance all by itself. The very reason God created us was to give meaning and expression to love. (So from this point of view - maybe love actually is what makes the world go round!) But you know, the fullest extent of God's love was not seen so much in His decision to create us. It was seen when we disobeyed Him and became sinful and unlovely and He chose to love us still. That’s what the apostle John is teaching in the verses above: “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” The Bible teaches us that our sinfulness separates us from our perfect Creator. One thing real love won’t tolerate is division and separation. So God responds and reveals to us what real love is. Love is seeking the well being of another person – regardless of the cost involved. Love involves personal sacrifice. It is not self-oriented, but is “others-oriented.” Love has no value if it is not committed to providing for someone. God shows his love for us by sending Jesus to provide a way to eternal life and a restoration of oneness. John goes on and says, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” Love for God is more than a feeling. For Jesus, love was a calculated courageous choice unaccompanied by the “warm-fuzzies.” It’s a decision - a decision to be comprehensively sacrificial in order that you and I might be blessed. What is love? It is a commitment to connectedness. Connectedness is what is broken between us and God because of sin. It is what is re-established through the Cross of Christ.
So as you celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, what advice do you have on the topic of love? Here’s mine: If you learn to love others like Jesus loves you, you won’t ever have to worry about being unloved.
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
I ran across the following illustration in my file on advice kids have on the topic of love:“Love is like an avalanche where you have to run for your life.” -- John, age 9 “No one is sure why it happens, but I heard it has something to do with how you smell. That's why perfume and deodorant are so popular.” -- Mae, age 9 “My mother says to look for a man who is kind. That's what I'll do. I'll find somebody who's kinda tall and kinda handsome.” -- Carolyn, age 8 “It gives me a headache to think about that stuff. I'm just a kid. I don't need that kind of trouble.” - Kenny, age 7 “One of you should know how to write a check. Because, even if you have tons of love, there is still going to be a lot of bills.” -- Ava, age 9 “Most men are brainless, so you might have to try more than once to find a live one.” -- Angie, age 10 “[Being] single is better . . . for the simple reason that I wouldn't want to change no diapers. Of course, if I did get married, I'd figure something out. I'd just phone my mother and have her come over for some coffee and diaper-changing.” -- Kirsten, age 10 “It's never okay to kiss a boy. They always slobber all over you. That's why I stopped doing it.” -- Tammy, age 10 “People in love act all mooshy. Like puppy dogs, except puppy dogs don't wag their tails nearly as much.” -- Arnold, age 10 “See if the man picks up the check. That's how you can tell if he's in love.” -- John, age 9 “You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.” -- Allan, age 10 “No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with.” -- Kirsten, age 10 “Shake your hips and hope for the best.” -- Camille, age 9 “It's love if they order one of those desserts that are on fire. They like to order those because it's just like how their hearts are -- on fire.” -- Christine, age 9 “Spend most of your time loving instead of going to work.” -- Dick, age 7 “Be a good kisser. It might make your wife forget that you never take out the trash.” -- Erin, age 8 “Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.” -- Lynnette, age 8 “Don't say you love somebody and then change your mind. Love isn't like picking what movie you want to watch.” -- Natalie, age 9
Valentines Day is upon us. Ahh - The Season of Love. Well, maybe at least a day of love. Well, maybe at least dinner and a movie. Or well, maybe at least a handful of flowers and a box of chocolates? Or well, maybe at least a card and a couple candy kisses? Or how about at least a hug and a peck on the cheek? How are you going to express love to your loved one this year? (If you haven’t figured this one out yet you better do so quickly. The couch can be a cold, lonely place to sleep!) How you express love depends upon your understanding of what love is. If our understanding of love is flawed, our expression of love will be flawed as well. One of the great problems we constantly face is the confusion about what love actually is. If you doubt what I am saying go ahead and Google the question, “What is love?” I did just that. It triggered 198 million responses. Amazing! 198 million people think they’ve figured it out and their answer is important enough to post it on the internet. I find that rather remarkable in a world that is overflowing with war and conflict. Have no doubt about it; Most of the world is still very perplexed about this crazy little thing called love and how to express it properly to one another.
That’s partly why God has given us the Bible. The central theme of the Bible is that our majestic, all-powerful, all-knowing, perfectly holy God is passionately in love with imperfect, sometimes openly rebellious, frequently indifferent people like you and me. C. S. Lewis once said, “God, who needs nothing, loves into existence wholly superfluous creatures in order that He may love and perfect them.” Love has no significance all by itself. The very reason God created us was to give meaning and expression to love. (So from this point of view - maybe love actually is what makes the world go round!) But you know, the fullest extent of God's love was not seen so much in His decision to create us. It was seen when we disobeyed Him and became sinful and unlovely and He chose to love us still. That’s what the apostle John is teaching in the verses above: “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” The Bible teaches us that our sinfulness separates us from our perfect Creator. One thing real love won’t tolerate is division and separation. So God responds and reveals to us what real love is. Love is seeking the well being of another person – regardless of the cost involved. Love involves personal sacrifice. It is not self-oriented, but is “others-oriented.” Love has no value if it is not committed to providing for someone. God shows his love for us by sending Jesus to provide a way to eternal life and a restoration of oneness. John goes on and says, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” Love for God is more than a feeling. For Jesus, love was a calculated courageous choice unaccompanied by the “warm-fuzzies.” It’s a decision - a decision to be comprehensively sacrificial in order that you and I might be blessed. What is love? It is a commitment to connectedness. Connectedness is what is broken between us and God because of sin. It is what is re-established through the Cross of Christ.
So as you celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, what advice do you have on the topic of love? Here’s mine: If you learn to love others like Jesus loves you, you won’t ever have to worry about being unloved.
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
posted by Larry | 7:36 PM
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