This Love Walk

We've been learning about love in Sunday School at church and it's truly been a blessing. I'm sitting here thinking right now on how I may miss that teaching today because I'll be with the youth class today. Then thinking wow feels good to feel some kind of way about missing it:) Especially being where talking about love. And by some kind of way not to say I don't want to be with the little ones but I will indeed miss the teaching in the adult class today. And grateful because I could be peeling my face off the pillow dreading going but God has given me joy for His word, even that which can be difficult to digest.

Difficult because it's hard to love someone that hates you and I often find that love is so lacking within the body that if the focus isn't on Christ and pleasing Him, one could easily find themselves becoming hard hearted in this area towards their own. We don't bare, hope,believe and endure all things (1 Corinthians 13:7). And although we're told to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:39, one of many scriptures stating so) and that to walk in our giftings and not have love is equal to being nothing (also 1 Corinthians 13). We still seem to embrace our lack of it and believe or hope that God is well pleased.

I was recently at a church where the pastor stated those that are typically on point doctrinally often lack in the love department. And he wasn't outing another church by saying those people at those other churches lack love but was talking bout his own house. I know early in my walk (and still have to be mindful of it let's be real) I would smash people so bad, thinking I was not only doing God's will but walking in love. My thinking was my allegiance is with Christ soley so I'm going to walk as He walked. Also with the gifts God's given, I may see something concerning a person that others do not and I thought it my duty to call it out. And not talking for instance if someone is fornicating I know it, may be able to discern it but not some kind of vision concerning it. But in calling something like that out I'd miss the primary need. I'd ended a friendship with someone a few years ago and again thinking because of my allegiance I was on point in what I said how I did it. Soon as I did it, through email btw which is not good and my first hint that it wasn't a good idea to do so should have been I was too angry to pick up the phone and say it so thought that would be the better route! Anyway soon as I pressed send I heard a voice say you did not do that in love. I know many don't believe God still speaks today and I was right along with em because I was like man that ain't God Lord please make the enemy stop LOL.

Reflecting back I can see how I didn't do so in love and that the core need/issue in the individual wasn't addressed. God has graciously given a second change in this situation so I'm taking heed and walking it out in love. And in doing so, it's not so hard after all because first committing to walk it out, the Lord changed my heart concerning them so that I may walk in/have genuine love for them. And when I experience hate from others within the body or outside, I've learned to pray and the Lord is still working on me in that area in terms of doing so diligently. And I find myself walking in peace with them rather they return the love or not.

And lastly because I can tell this has turned into a book:) God is not without rhyme or reason for anything. One reason it was so hard for me to walk in love or know what that looks like is because for one it's difficult to grasp loving enemies, and two not every teaching on love is biblical and people tend to look for a romanticise love and therefore when you tell the truth, and truly doing so in love it's taken as hate because "love covers a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8) can become the drop scripture to never confront sin. So it became difficult to walk in it because love was misjudged to be hate. And again not talking the situation of thinking I'm walking in love when I wasn't but doing so and it being wrongly judged as hate or wrong judgement. And three didn't seen like many within the body were seeking to walk in it so it's like why bother? Now let me say with that even if we don't know God's rhyme or reason we still ought to walk in obedience however in this case I can say He's shown me (at least a portion) of His will concerning our walking this way.

1. He's done it for us, I think to myself sometimes the sins that irk me about others and even myself. Imagine how much more God has had mercy on us for. Things we may not even see as sinful and He redeemed us not having to and we have no reason as to why we should have been scooped up by Him. Nothing but evil continuously in this dead man yet a perfect God chose to scoop me up anyway and I am to reflect His love in the same way that He's poured it out on me.
2. He is love so if I claim to be His, how can I not reflect Him? Not to say we won't fail in this area ever but we should be growing in His likeness daily, dying daily to our old nature.
3. And I'll end it with this one though I can think of others, those that hate us ultimately hates Him and will have to give an account on judgement day.

And one more lastly peep Proverbs 25:21-22 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.

And I've primarily spoke on lack of love within the body, we are all bro's and sis's in Christ like it or not:) And so we can be enemies of one another without intent and sometimes very much so and worse at times because of knowing God will not x them off the list so to speak. Yet the Lord will reward the love you shower them with. It will not go unnoticed and those individuals will indeed have to give an account. Not as the unredeemed but as disobedient children.