Love Overcomes Fear

As I listened to Gary Haugen address a crowd in Nashville, Tennessee, for his wonderful group, International Justice Mission, his words hit me.  He explained to do the work he does to help free people from oppression, you need a "love that overcomes fear."  The people he liberates live in fear.
The people working to free them, need a love that overcomes not only their fears, but also the people they are working for.  It takes love to overcome fear to propel us to action.  He explained, "Love doesn't make sense...it is disproportionate and tedious."   It takes work to show love for people who don't even know there is a way, there is hope.  It takes us coming out of our comfort to help them be comfortable.  Thank you not only for your words Gary, but also your works.  

The Book of Love

"The book of love is long and boring..." that's what it says...

Love is Energy

"Love is energy of life." So said Robert Browning.

Let love energize your life for what is important, not insignificant.

Let love give you energy to do your greatest works yet, think your finest thoughts, perform your most heroic deeds.

Let your heart swell with love as it generates new forms of energy for living and loving.

Balance

"Zeal for the truth must be balanced by love for people. Truth without love has no decency; it's just brutality. On the other hand, love without truth has no character; it's just hypocrisy. So says John MacArthur in Twelve Ordinary Men. He goes on to say, "their lack of love cripples the power of the truth they profess..." He says, "If you pursue anything in the spiritual realm, pursue a perfect balance of truth and love. Know the truth and uphold it in love." He explains, "this balance of truth and love as the very pinnacle of spiritual maturity." He concludes, "love is what real truth is ultimately all about." (p. 106, 107)

God's Storehouse Outpouring

"Love is the bounty of God's inexhaustible storehouse,

and you are an expression of God's love in the world."

-Christian Ian Chenoweth

Maximum Capacity Loving

John MacArthur teaches us about Peter in Twelve Ordinary Men, "In 1 Peter 4:8 he [Peter] wrote, "Above all things have fervent love for one another, for 'love will cover a multitude of sins.'" The Greek word translated "fervent" in that verse is ektenes,literally meaning "stretched to the limit." Peter was urging us to love to the maximum of our capacity. The love he spoke of is not about a feeling. It's not about how we respond to people who are naturally lovable. It's about a love that covers and compensates for others' failures and weaknesses: "Love will cover a multitude of sines." (p.55)

Leading with Love

John MacArthur in writing his book, Twelve Ordinary Men, wrote about the qualities of leadership: "True spiritual leadership means loving service to one another." He explains, "Leaders are usually task-oriented people rather than people-oriented. And so they often use people, or plow over people, in order to achieve their goals." He concluded. "The true leader loves and serves those whom He leads." (p. 52,53)