Love is... Part 9

Photo Credit: "love is all"

Love is... Just (Does not delight in Evil, but rejoices with the Truth) 

You are in Ancient Rome. You can hear the cheering of the crowds in the Coliseum, you know that there must be something going on. It could be a fight between Gladiators, or it could be Christians being fed to the lions. People are cheering, not unlike the cheering at the Super Bowl, and are thrilled with the excitement that this "sport" brings. They watch people being slaughtered and within the first month of operation of this new arena the sand is stained red, thick and wet with blood. This is the price of entertainment. 

The time after Christ's resurrection was dark. People who claimed to be Christians were killed daily, hourly. Many were killed for "sport". Thrown in the Coliseum, while people cheered for their deaths. Children would watch their parents die before them, or a parent would watch their child be devoured before them. They were beaten, tortured, eaten, and killed. They were even doused with oil and lit to be human torches for dinner parties. 

Why should I go into these gruesome facts? This is our heritage, as Christians. 

People who were Evil and Corrupt needed better and better entertainment. They were not satisfied until they could see death all around them. It was fun, since it was not them. Watching people battle to the death was normal. It was also Evil, and they delighted in it. Corrupt people enjoy watching people fight and die, they enjoyed rape and prostitution, they enjoy drunkenness and lust. If you take every Sin against God, they enjoyed it. In Sodom and Gomorrah men surrounded the house of Lot, they demanded that the men (Messengers of The Lord) be brought out to them to satisfy their carnal lust. In the entire town the only righteous people we know of is the family of Lot. The others were Evil. 

When it comes down to what "Love" is, it is a choice and not an emotion. God is Love, and true love is aspects of God. Lot showed love by not protecting himself and sending out the men to be raped, he denied them and offered anything he could in return, in the end the Messengers pulled Lot into his home, and shut the door, preventing any harm to come to His family. (Genesis 19:1-29)

This may seem like a stretch but I want to make a point with this. Lot and his family lived in that town with all of the Evil people. At any time they could have joined in and also delighted in the things they did, but they did not because they were righteous. 

To love is to follow God's commandments. (2 John 1:6)

Things that are not of God are to repulse us, that is our Spirit. Our Flesh desires these things and will try to win and swat us, which if why Paul wrote, "I die daily". (1 Corinthians 15:31)
We are to reflect Christ, who never delighted in what was evil. 


To be "Just"is to "behave according to what is morally right or fair" (Google Dictionary Definition)
Christians and Jews find what is "right" or "moral" from the Bible, from the Word of God. Our standards are to be His standards. So lying, deceit, lust, murder, hate, adultery, fornication, false worship, etc. are things that are Evil and that we should not enjoy. Things to rejoice in would be like, salvation, love, truth, justice, peace, joy, purity, charity, and kindness. Things that the Lord loves to see, we should also love to see. 


To love is to never rejoice in the mistreatment of others. We should not laugh when people are bullied or hurt by others, or by ourselves. If it is in "real life" or on a show, we should never take pleasure in the hurt of others. Having a strong sense of justice is essential if you with the be Christ-like. This is one small part of this aspect of love, to hate mistreatment of others. 


Here is the other part, that may sting a bit more to say. 


"Loving" violent video games and movies... We should NEVER enjoy films like "Saw" or "Final Destination"! EVER! Because watching the torture of people, "fake" or "real", makes us no better than the people watching children being eaten by lions and cheering! Death is not a fun thing, murder is not funny, and torture is not something to be laughed at while you munch on popcorn. You may not be "physically" doing these things, but killing people for fun is not a good thing to do! 


I leave it up to your own conviction of what is the "limit" for Video Games and Movies. I pray we all listen to our conscience in this matter. 


Another thing that is Evil that many Christians "struggle" with is Pornography. The addiction and love of this entertainment is an Evil and False thing that we should despise and stay away from. Most people are exposed at a young age from curiosity, and many Christian artists have said that Porn was something they had to overcome. Is was a thing that they substituted for real, pure love... It is false, it is a lie, and it is evil. But it is also something you can overcome! There are many sources and churches today to help Christians overcome this because it is a growing problem every day, and I am in full support of them. The first step is swallowing pride and getting help, just as an addiction to drugs or alcohol. 


Cutting off the ties of Evil and Corrupted things is a difficult and painful process and can only be done with the help and Grace of God, and by Dying to our flesh daily. To be able to be a true representation of Love we need to cut off evil in our lives, and never approve of it when it is around us. Once you are no longer numb to it, you spot it more easily and stay far away from it. 


To Love is to rejoice in the things the Lord does, and to hate the things He does. Having high standards draws others with high standards towards you, and even people with low standards. They want to know what makes you different and why you do not like the things that "The World" does. You are showing love to them by not tolerating wrong behavior towards them and others, and towards yourself. And you are showing love by not allowing those things to be around you nor in your life.


I hope this made sense, and helped you realize a few things in your life. It did for me. 


Refining the Faith,
-C.A.M.

Love Is... Part 6

Love is... Not self seeking

So I am finding that 1 Corinthians love is all about laying yourself down and caring for others. All of the previous parts had something to do with it, so it seems that in case you did not catch all of what was written before or really got the meaning the writer decided to plainly say it, "Love does no seek it's own."

Our nature is self preservation, to seek for our own benefit. But the nature of the spirit is to care not for your self but for others. This is why we die to self, so that the spirit can prevail in our life. I admit that I am a selfish person, because we are all selfish. I try my best to not be prideful or selfish and I make mistakes all the time. And when I try to do it on my own, with my own strength, that is when I fail the most.

I see Jesus' whole life as an example to us. He showed us how to live, he showed us that through grace we can overcome sin even as a Man. Then he died, the ultimate act of love and sacrifice, and then rose from the dead through the Holy Spirit, which now dwells within us, and is interceding for us in Heaven! What He did was incredible, what he is still doing is incredible. So I know that I am able to overcome sin and temptation as well through the Trinity. I also know that you can as well.

I do not think that God would ever give a task that is impossible, because through Him all is possible. But with our own strength these things are impossible. So while is may seem that to be selfless and to not seek your own, in every circumstance, it is possible with the strength of The Lord. I write with the upmost faith that we can all, as the body of Christ, overcome this!

So how are we not self seeking? Our priorities are dead last, bottom of the food chain. What everyone else wants comes before us. Naturally we think that this is ridiculous, that would be human nature crying out. "How can I not care for myself? That is stupid, I have to put myself first sometimes!" While many people say this, that does not make it true. You put the charities, the poor, the widows, the wants and needs of everyones else, other peoples plans, and Gods priorities high above your own and when all of those are taken care of you will be taken care of. It seems miserable to be that person who just keeps giving, but is that not what Christ did? And are we not his followers? Disciples who want to be just like him in every way?

There was a story I heard once about "the foolish traveler" in Japan. This person gave all they had and were generous. So people started to use them, they would even lie to the person. They would tell them that they were sick and needed medicine and he would give them anything he could. Once he was out of money he started to give away his belongings and clothing. He ended up naked in the forest without anything. Then goblins came claiming that they were starving so he gave up his body to them to eat. All that he had left in the end was his head, with no eyes. Then the goblins, mocking him, said they had a present for him. It was a piece of paper with the word "Fool" written on it. Then he cried out of joy, "This is the first time anyone has given me anything!" And he died while saying thank you and crying...

Is that story very fictional and a bit morbid? Yes. Does it have a good point? Yes.

People read that and take away, "stupid person, don't give away what you have or you will die like that!"

I take it as "That is how I should live my life".

I am not going to give up my body for goblins to eat, but I will give what I have.

"If a man asks for your shirt give him your cloak as well." (Matt. 5:40)

To keep giving is what I want my life to be like, and it is so hard to give up what I have to others. I know I need to do it and I fight every time a person asks for somethings from me. Money, food, clothes, time, etc. We want things things that we consider "ours" to stay ours. But aren't all of these things Gods in the end?

He gave us life, out time on this Earth, our food, our clothes, our money and job, these are all blessings and gifts from God. He can take them away at will. So when he asks us, through the Holy Spirit, to give it to others why can we not give it? It is not really ours, it is Gods. We should be willing to give up what God has given us at any time, He gives and takes away.

The study of love is a convicting one. Once you think you are loving you realize that you really are not... Christmas is coming up and it is the greatest time to show love. We choose this time to celebrate Christ being given to us men, because God so loved us all. What better time to show His way of love to others? Be charitable, and do not stop after winter ends. Let us all work together to really reflect Christ. To be the Moon reflecting the Sun. That is what draws people to God. I know that I will probably mess up but I want to at least try, with His grace.

Refining the Faith,

-C.A.M.

Photo Credit: http://www.vine2victory.com/real-love/

Radical Pottery Breaking

I know that many people may already know the meaning of this passage, but for those who do not I want to write this. This was a huge revelation for me when I found this out!

"While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me.”

- Mark 14:3-7

In those days women had dowries so that they could be married. This alabaster jar filled with oil was a very costly thing, and is was most likely her dowry. Without this her chances of getting married and having children were very low, yet you see her smashing the jar and anointing Christ. This act was not just her anointing Christ for the crucifixion, it was also this woman devoting her entire life and her future to Christ. This was a radical act of faith!

How often do we give our whole life to Christ? How often do we devote everything we have and our future to him?

Another thing I thought is that she could have easily just dripped a few drops on him and kept the rest for herself, to secure her future. I admit that if I was her I would have done that!

"And the woman opened the jar and took out a few drops and sprinkled them on Jesus."

That is not how it reads! If I was her it may have read that way, but thankfully I was not that woman! It is said that this may have been the woman who had the seven demons cast out of her. Jesus had saved her and forgiven her and in return out of her devotion to him she broke her future and gave every last drop to him. She didn't save any drops, she smashed the jar! These thing ensured that she could not take it back and that it was fully for Christ.

I ask you, as well as myself, are you willing to do that? He has saved us and forgiven us as well! Then why is it we like to keeps drops of our life just in case God does not come through for us? We say we are giving our whole life to him yet we keep something back. It is either a piece of our heart, our faith, our life, our future, etc.

I know that it is so easy for me to keep a little piece of myself back from people, and God as well. I always want to keep a little bit of the "old man" in my life. I like to give it CPR and keep it alive instead of killing it completely. I lay myself on the alter and hand God a rubber knife... I want to commit my time to Him, but then I have days where I would rather have "me time" (sleeping in, reading whatever I want, watching T.V., etc.) then devote that time to Him. I want a relationship, but I have times where I do not feel like talking to Him (and sadly I tend to do this to people as well). The list goes on and on!

I scoop out oil from my jar, my life and my heart, and I slowly empty it on him little by little, so that I always have a little left just in case. Why can't I just smash the jar?! I get so angry with myself, my flesh, and how I want to keep some of myself and how I want to give my life to him but not all the hours of my day. I fear radical faith. I have past wounds that keep me from giving my whole heart to anyone and being completely vulnerable, even to God. This is painful though, I want to give Him everything yet I can't seem to do it!

Can we al do ourself a favor and smash our jars above His head? Can we all tear down the walls in our hearts? Can we devote our entire life to Him? We want to keep that little bit of time and that little bit of stuff and that little bit of money, it is ALL going to be gone someday! And all we will have left is our life with Him and the time and devotion we spend on Him. Will we "waste our life" on Him?

Can we all just say this and try to live it out, with His power only?

Dear God, Beloved, and Comforter,

Take my life. I want to waste it away and give it all to you. Help me to smash the jar of my life and give every last drop of oil to you and your Kingdom. It is so hard God... I cannot do it myself... I need trust Lord! Help me trust you and give you everything! I want no regrets when I stand before your throne. I want to hear you say "well done, good and faithful servant" with everything I am! Give my your grace to do this! Let me become radical in my love and devotion and faith in you.

Love,

Your Child

Anther thing, this jar is going to keep coming back. We need to break it over and over again. As oil builds up we need to pour it out. "I die daily" (1 Corinthians 15:31) that is the mentality we need to have. I pray God will help me to have it more and more, and I pray the same for you.

Let's all smash our jars, because all we need in our future is Him. Let his throne be surrounded by our broken jars and his feet by drenched in the oil of our lives!

Keeping the faith,

C.A.M.

Photo Credit: http://speakin-colors.blogspot.com/2009/11/word-distinction-breaking-things.html