The End of a Thing

Deuteronomy 32:29: "Oh, that they were wise that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!"

Oh, what a good thing to do for your love: consider the end. What will be the end effect? What will be the lasting legacy? What will they speak of years down the road? How will it effect others after I'm gone, "in the end"?

At the end of the year, these are good things to ponder.

Your love will have a lasting effect, what will it be?

Consider Others Better

"..consider others better than yourselves." Philippians 2:3b

What a profound statement by St. Paul.

It not only says "consider," which is think about, ponder, evaluate, in other words we must think.

Step 1: Think.

Then it says what to consider: Others.

O.K., we are to think about others. We are to evaluate their needs and desires. We are to spend time pondering them.

Step 2: Think about others.

Now, for the clincher: Think of them as more than yourself. Or, think of others more than you think of yourself. Spend more time thinking of others than yourself. That might solve a lot of self pity and self aggrandizement. If we think more of others, we might understand them more and perhaps serve them better and love them more completely.

Step 3: Think of others more highly ~ than you do yourself.

Leading with Love

My husband is always asking leadership questions.

That made me think: How am I leading in love?

I think this is an important question.

How are you leading with love today?

How are you leading anyone else to love today?

Leading has connotations of being proactive, sensitive to followers or co-workers, and wisdom.

How are you using those qualities today to lead those around you with love and into love?

Is love dying?

Naomi Zacharias said, "The cost of truly engaging in any relationship is to die to oneself." (Just Thinking,Vol. 18.3, page 37)

It's a truth, but it may hurt.

It's the truth, but we don't want to shout it.

I asked someone the other day, what they do with an "inconvenient truth." My Mother simply sets it aside and forgets about it. What do you do with a truth you don't particularly want to know or embrace? Loving is dying. It is dying to self. It is dying for others. It doesn't sound good. But it may be the best truth in the world.

Think of it like a seed that dies in the ground only to bring a bigger life into being.

Sowing Love

Anne Morrow Lindbergh said in a poem: "...the seeds of love must be eternally resown."

Love is not a one time commitment, but a daily decision.

Love is not a wedding ceremony, or the honeymoon, it's the whole of life.

Love is not a one time gift, but something you continue to give.

Love must be forever sown into the acts of our life and thoughts.

Sow them today.

Sow them tomorrow.

Sow them forever.

Belief in Love

Bono sings in 'Moment of Surrender,' a line that caused me to think:

"It's not if I believe in love, but if loves believes in me."

Sometimes, the clearest thing about love is that it chooses you.

It's not what we think, but the power and reality of love.

Does love from on high see me as capable of handling it's gift?

Does love from above see me as receptive to it's designs on my life and relationships?

O Love (GOD) believe in me!

The Greatest Love Story Ever

Christmas is the biggest celebration in the world.

Have you ever considered the implications of that?

If Christmas is celebrating the birth of Christ, the Savior of the world, this should tell us something. The world recognized that a Savior came and that the Savior is Christ.
We need a savior and He came. His name is Christ.
-Let us be like the angels of old and sing: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace to men on whom His favor rests." (Luke 2:14)
-Let us be like the shepherds and "spread the word" (Luke 2:17) & "glorify and praise God" (v. 20)
-And let us be like Mary and "treasure these things and pondered them" in our hearts. (Luke 2:19)

After all, it was the greatest love story ever told.

Homes Need Love

As the story goes, "It was the night before Christmas when all through the house..."

What is going on in your house tonight?
What is usually going on in your house?

Our homes should be a place of love.
Our homes should be a place of peace.
Our homes should be a safe place. After all we put all the safeguards in place for little children. We also put security systems in our house. We lock our doors and windows. We are vigilant for the safety of our families, let us be as vigilant for love of our loved ones.

"Love begins at home, if we can only make our own homes temples of love." Mother Teresa

(page 405, The Joy in Loving)

Christmas is about love & giving

If Christmas is about giving, it is about God, it is about love.

That's what love and God are about.

John 3:16 taught us "For God so loved, He gave... His Son" - what Christmas is all about.
To honor His gift to us, His Son, we now give gifts to others. We usually buy and wrap them. But, remember the greatest gift you give is to love someone. You give the gift, let them unwrap it.

So Easy, So Hard

My husband made a profound statement the other day: "It's so easy to love yourself and so hard to love others. Love, so easy to say, so hard to live out."

What's easy for you? What's hard for you?

If it is easy for us to love ourselves, why is it so hard to love others?

Usually it's because we are self absorbed, doing what is good for us is what it's all about.

How about a step into maturity, or other mindedness, and thinking about the others, and the ramifications to them. Our decisions everyday affect others, whether we see it or not.

"Love," it's so easy to say those words, yet so hard to live out.

The Reward of Love

Matthew 6:1 says, "Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven."

This is right on the heels of Matthew 5:12 (in the same sermon, the one on the Mount), that says, "Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven..." This referring to people being persecuted and falsely accused.

Something about rewards that we should know:

1. The Lord rewards (See I Samuel 24:19; Proverbs 25:22; and Colossians 3:24)

2. The Lord rewards according to what we have done

(See Proverbs 19:17; Jeremiah 17:10 and 32:19; and Ephesians 6:8)

3. My reward is with God (See Isaiah 49:4; Matthew 5:12; and Luke 6:23)

Where are you looking for your rewards? Your reward is with God, your reward is God.

Greater Love

"Greater love has no one than this: that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

How are you laying down your life today for your friends?

How are you putting aside your wishes for another?

How are you dying to your self and becoming alive to the needs of others around you?

I want great love. As a matter of fact, I want greater love.

Now, I know what I must do.

Love does not mean we think alike

David Ferenc said: "We need not think alike to love alike."

Sometimes there is a false thinking that creeps into our lives.

We have to watch for that. We are not mirrors of each other, but compliments.

We are not exactly alike, but complimentary pieces that come together.

We do not need to agree on all things to agree on one thing: to love inspite of other things.

We don't need to agree. We need to love.

Love = Forgiveness

Forgiveness is the spandex in the garment of love.

It is what gives and expands to allow the garment - with you in it - to move and stretch.

It's the 'give' in the fabric. It's the 'give' in for'give'.

Be about giving. Be about forgiving. Be about love.

Forgiving may be the biggest part in our tapestry of living.

We have to forgive to move on. We have to forgive to stay in relationship.

We have to forgive to have peace.

We need forgiveness. But, we also need to give it.

If you're not forgiving, you are not fully living.

Loving = Happiness

This quote is said by different people in different ways. But I found where Allan Chalmers said:

"The grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and

something to hope for..."

So consider today what you are doing, what and who you are loving, and what you are hoping for. This may reveal a lot about you and your motivations and your goals. Happiness could be contained in what you do, who or what you love, and what you put your hope in. Be happy!

Crowned with Love

Psalm 103:4 says God "crowns us with love and compassion."

Have you ever thought about being crowned with love?

It's a magical picture, isn't it? Have a crown not of diamonds and emeralds, but of love and compassion. And isn't love and compassion worth far more than rubies and diamonds?

Wear your crown today with grace. Administer your regal duties of loving and caring on others with the dignity of a Sovereign. After all, you do represent the King.

"God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To Him be honor and might forever. Amen." I Timothy 6:15,16

The Benefits of Love

Have you ever wondered what the benefits are to love?

If you have, I bet you came up with a long list.

If you haven't, do it now.

What would be on your list of benefits?

Comfort, joy, peace, pleasure, companionship, strength from another, encouragement, etc., etc.

Take time now to thank God for all His benefits, especially the benefit of Him loving us.

Psalm 103:2 - Praise the Lord, O my soul - and forget not all His benefits...

Love Changes Everything

Think of one thing that love does not change...quick!

Love changes everything it touches.

People cannot stay the same and be loved.

They may not change on the outside, but on the inside, they will never be the same.

The work is on the inside, but it tends to show on the outside.

Love changes everything. Are you willing to be changed?

"...Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Matthew 18:3,4 (Jesus speaking with a child in front of Him to others about the question, "Who is the greatest?")

Love Transforms

Elizabeth Barrett Browning said:

"I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am with you.

I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me..."

Love is transforming. It not only transforms you, it transforms your relationships.

Be transformed by love. Be transformed by loving someone, and allowing yourself to be loved.

You will never be the same, and neither will they.

The Plurality of Love

Love has a oneness to it and a plurality. We cannot love one and not have that love spill out on others around us. If we have love in our hearts it will show on all around it. Like Lady Justice, who is blind, love has also been called blind. Romans 3 tells us that righteousness comes through faith, to all who believe, "there is no difference." (verse 22) God is no discriminator in acting justly and offering His love. Romans 10:12 says "There is no difference between Jew and Gentile - the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him." Love is not only singular, it is also plural. It cast a big net that might catch one, or many. Understand that your singular focus could end up being a plural, multifaceted net of love that covers many people and many things. Cast your net.

The Singularity of Love

To focus on one thing, is enough. Sometimes we forget how focusing on one thing focuses us. If today we would concentrate on loving - just one thing, one person, one virtue. There is power in oneness. There is power in focus. There is power in love. To love just one person...could be a liberating, exilerating experience. Can we just do one thing well? Could we love just one person completely?

"Purity of heart is to will one thing." Soren Kierkegaard

"Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." Hebrews 10:24

What hole is there in you?

Richard Stearns in his book, "The Hole in our Gospel," says, "Maybe I have a responsibility to do my part to love the world that Jesus loves so much." [page 2] He calls us to remember our obligation to the world and it's people that Jesus so willingly gave His life for. How often we forget or neglect our responsibility to love those around us and even those we don't see who are in need. This hole, this vacuum we have in our lives and our practical theology is we don't do what we say or what we profess we believe. If we believe, our actions should be different. How are your beliefs altering your actions today? Does what you believe match what you do, how you act? We not only have a hole in our theology, we also have holes in our hearts, because we are not living (and acting) in the way we were intended to. Don't let your hole in your gospel be a lack of love demonstrated from a lack of love in your heart.

Love as a Goal

Henry Drummond wrote a great little book called, The Greatest Thing in the World, where he says:

"The supreme work to which we need to address ourselves in this world [is] to learn Love. Is life not full of opportunities for learning Love? Every man and woman every day has a thousand of them. The world is not a playground; it is a schoolroom. Life is not a holiday, but an education. And the one eternal lesson for us all is how better we can love." (page 57)

If the greatest thing in the world is love (according to I Corinthians 13:13), then we should pursue it as our primary goal. What's your goal today?

Extending His Love

How can I extend God's love further today? How can I break through whatever barriers are in front of me to extend God's grace and love? There are so many barriers: fear, intimidation, political correctness, apathy, etc. What are the barriers to you loving more genuinely, more passionately? What keeps you from extending, and keeps you withdrawing? Whatever it is, name it. Give it a name, and tell it you will not let anything (fill in your label) stop you from extending love today. You won't let anger or hurt feelings or fear stop you from extending love to another, perhaps even yourself.

Be Love Carriers

How can you be carriers of love today instead of carriers of disease, colds, animosity, anxiety, fear, guilt, etc.?

We all carry around what is in us. We carry forward what we have in our past and our hopes for the future. We carry around so many burdens. Why not carry so much love, so much joy, so much hope? Pick it up in your arms today and carry it. There were be plenty of people along the way that will need it and be grateful you had some for them.

Think of the 'mail carriers.' They bring you packages everyday. Some are good (notes from friends, or perhaps checks) and some are bad (bills, bad news, etc). Everyday you anticipate this, but you don't know what you'll discover. Today deliver good news to others wrapped in love.

Love = Bears

I Corinthians 13:7 says Love "bears all things." This is cross referenced to Galatians 6:2, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Which leads us to Romans 15:1, "We then who are strong ought to bear with the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves."

It makes me think of a "bearing load." During construction we heard a lot about "load bearing walls." So, after looking this up, I found that it is where the strength is found to support other weight. Sometimes, we are those load bearing walls for other people around us. Sometimes, they are for us.

Bear your load - with love.

Ongoing Love

It's somebody's anniversary out there, and I'm celebrating the ongoingness of love. As First Corinthians 13 described love, "bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails." (verses 7 and 8) An Anniversary seems to be the appropriate place to take note of this. It doesn't say they haven't failed. It doesn't say they their load would be easy. It even tells us they need hope amidst their love. It also discloses they will need to endure many things. It doesn't say they're perfect, or that their love is...but that in the end (even if in the middle it does) their love will not fail, because their love is true and the God they trust is. A non failing love says inspite of all this, I still love you, I'm still here. That's what we celebrate today with this special couple. Standing firm through the trials, hand in hand, with hope and love - enduring.

Thank you for your witness. Thank you for your love. We are all better because of it.

Love Goes On

First Corinthians chapter 13, the great love lecture, says "love goes on forever" (verse 8 in The Living Bible).

A love that goes on.

A love that goes on - forever.

Not just a love that last a long time.

But a love that has no end.

A love that is eternal.

Since only God is eternal, we touch God in our love.

We extend love into eternity through God.

Oh, go on...have an ongoing love affair - and enjoy it - and be blessed.

Love Doesn't Require Perfection

After someone's infidelities were revealed, they simply said, "they weren't perfect, they were human." I've been reflecting on this. Fidelity does not require perfection, it involves character. Fidelity to another is not some super human effort, it takes self control. Fidelity to another human being may take some self discipline, but please, don't tell us you're not perfect. We know that. We also, regardless of your thoughts, comprehend that you are human. We may have expected more from you. We may have taken you at your word, that you would be faithful. Isn't that what you professed before that crowd at the wedding? When did infidelity become an expression of humanity instead of a sign of sin? Transgression means a violation of a law or a sin. So, please let's still call infidelity what it is a transgression - a falling away - not from perfection, but from our word/oath and another person (also a human being), and God.

Love is Loyal

The Living Bible's I Corinthians 13:7 says, "If you love someone you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost."

How much has your loyalty cost you?

How much has your love cost you?

Loyalty entails faithfulness. Loyalty contains respectfulness. Loyalty implies admiration.

How does your love reflect loyalty? Have you ever considered that you are in a royal relationship that should involve loyalty? Loyalty says yes before it knows the question. Loyalty goes where the loyalty is. Where are you going today with yours?

Do It Well, Do It With Love

Vincent Van Gogh said: "Whatever is done in love is done well."

Which sounds a lot like some other verses:

Ecclesiastes 9:10- Whatever you do - do it mightily

I Corinthians 10:31 - Whatever you do - do all to the glory of God

Colossians 3:23 - Whatever you do - do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men

III John 5 - do faithfully whatever you do

There are lots of things to consider when doing anything: mightily, for God's glory, as to the Lord and not men, faithfully and lovingly, and so much more.