James K.A. Smith in his book, You are What You Love, says, "if love is a virtue, then love is a habit." (page 19) He gives a caveat following that, "it doesn't mean we necessarily love the right thing." (page 20) He explains, "We learn to love, then, not primarily by acquiring information about what we should love but rather through practices that form the habits of how we love." (page 21)
Note to self: make good habits - learn to love by practicing it!
James K.A. Smith in his book, You are what you love, ask the question what if "human beings are first and foremost lovers?" He goes on, "What if you are defined not by what you know but by what you desire?" (page 7)
He expands, "it is our loves that orient us..." (page 9)
He explains, "You can't not love." He says, "the question isn't whether you will love something as ultimate; the question is what you will love as ultimate. And you are what you love." (page 10)
He goes on to say, "our most fundamental mode of orientation to the world is love." (page 11)
He concludes: "We are lovers first and foremost." (page 12)
St Augustine said in his Confessions:
My weight is my love.
Wherever I am carried, my love is carrying me.
What carries you?
Dallas Willard says that "the highest act of love" is prayer! He says that is how we are empowered to love those who do not love us. It is the highest act of love - what we can do...praying for each other is loving each other. Love On...Pray On...
(from devotion on page 345, Faith That Matters
"Somebody loving you is grace. Loving somebody is grace. Have you ever tried to love somebody?"
Fredrick Buechner said this, asked this. Trying to love someone is not grace, it is effort. And, our efforts often fail. Love by grace, and accept love by grace...it's the only way. It's a communion of grace not effort.
"Love is the fundamental law of human relationships."
~E Stanley Jones
What law do you live by?
"We can't choose growth and contribution in the place of love.
Love must be our motivator."
John Cassian, 360-435 AD
Nothing but love.
Everything forgiven.
Filled with the Holy Spirit.
Devoid of deceit.
Saturated with grace.
Grounded in the Word.
Empowered by faith.
Always with hope.
Counting it all joy.
Giving thanks in all things.
In endless prayer.
All to God’s glory.
© dixie keller 2020
A 13th Century mystic, Hadweijch of Antwerp, wrote a beautiful poem:
Love's Constancy
Anyone who has waded
Through Love's turbulent waters,
Now feeling hunger and now satiety,
Is untouched by the season
Of withering or blooming
For in the deepest and most dangerous waters,
On the highest peaks,
Love is always the same.
(quoted on page 63 + 64 in Quiet Prayer by Marie Chapian)
Eugene Peterson in his magnificent translation THE MESSAGE, says First Peter chapter one:
"Love one another as if your lives depended on it."
Then in chapter four he translates:
"Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it."
I like his translation. I think it does. Do you? At least the quality of your life and the quality of your relationships do.
"The way to really live is to really love."
page 177
THE JESUS LIFE
Stephen W. Smith
