Love creates action Part 1

I know most of you saw the title and were like oh no, Kenady is going to talk about her theory's on dating.  If you know me, you know I have a lot of theories..lol.

No, today I'm talking about loving your neighbor as yourself and what that looks like.  

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. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

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

1st Corinthians 13

This verse is so so impactful to me.  For I could do spiritual things, that are inherently good that would amount to nothing, if I have not love. I could right this blog, and it be empty words because I do not love. 

So think…if you were the enemy, and you couldn't take my soul, because Jesus already got it, what would you try to do? You would hinder me from loving right?

What hinders us from loving?

anxiety, depression, anything that has you more focused on yourself and your circumstances rather than loving others

Judgement of right and wrong can hinder us from loving people.  If we are so focused on what they are doing is wrong that we can't fully love them, then we are a clanging cymbal. We all do this, for we love what is morally right and good. I am not saying we should excuse others wrongdoing, but sometimes reprimanding them is not the best way to love them, other times it might be. 

I am reading this book called Love does by Bob Goff.  The first story was so fantastic, I must share it. 

The author Bob, when he was younger decided he wanted to drop out of high school and live in the mountains.  So, he packed everything up, but before leaving he stopped by his YoungLife leaders house to say goodbye.  He told his leader what he was doing and the leader said, hold on a minute.  So, the leader left and came back with a backpack and said "I with you, Bob."  So, Bob and Randy left and went to the mountains.  Bob soon figured out that the life in the mountains wasn't all that it was cracked up to be.  He couldn't get a job without a high school diploma, and a job was a pivotal point of his plan.  So, he decided to go home, and Randy said "I'm with you."  When Bob dropped Randy off at his house, Bob soon realized that Randy had just married his girlfriend, and instead of spending his newlywed days with his wife, He decided to spend them with Bob. 

The author comments, "I used to want to fix people, but now I just want to with them"  

Love is meeting people where they are at.  Love is showing them how much you care by walking with them through the journey.  

Now, I am not saying you should ignore discipline.  "Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them." Proverbs 13:24

But if we discipline and have not love, it amounts nothing.  We must seek to love the lost.  We must go out of our way to demonstrate our love to them.  

For Jesus did not just stay in heaven to judge us, but came down to us and met us on our level.  Then, He sacrificed his life to pay for our sins.  This is love. 

Love is laying down your life for others. 

Love is sacrificing you right to say something, in order to demonstrate something. 

Love is laying down you right to judge and fix them, in order to get down on their level. 

God is love.  

If your like me, Love is something you struggle with, at least this kind of love.  Yet we have access to a God, who is love.  So, let us pray for a heart that loves.  

For God is patient, God is kind. God does not envy, nor boast, nor is He proud.  God is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs. God rejoices with the truth.  God always protects, always hopes, always trusts and always perseveres. God never fails.

So, if we want this kind of love let us tap into the never failing God, who loves us.