True Love

“Far too many of us think about dating and marriage as being all about “the spark.” A man looks into a woman’s eyes and he feels something. A woman glances at a man in a restaurant and her heart races. Some believe that this is how you find your spouse. You have to feel the chemistry first, or you are looking at the wrong person. Such a shallow and superficial view of dating (and ultimately marriage) is a dead end street.

“Followers of Jesus who date and ultimately marry understand that marriage is a covenant and a serious commitment. Yes, loving one another is very important. However, solid joyful marriages are built on character and promise keeping. If you have not yet married, ask yourself, “Is this person intentional about growing in godly virtues? What about truth-telling, patience, fidelity, and a commitment to trust and obey the Lord Jesus?”

“I heard not long ago about a husband who walked out on his wife when he learned that she had aggressive cancer. He said to his wife, “I didn’t sign up for this.” Meanwhile, I can tell you of a number of husbands and wives who love and adore one another and who have shared tough times together. Their marriages are not based on a “spark” or special chemistry. Rather, they have dared to travel together choosing what is deep and lasting rather than settling for how the world might define a marriage.”*

Our culture, through things like entertainment and social media, has sold us the lie that chemistry is the first step toward true love.  But many men and women who have experienced the breakup of their relationships can testify to the fact that the sparks that made the beginning so exciting don’t always lead to commitment for the long term.  Biblical love starts with the commitment that seeks the best for another through thick and thin.  And the serendipity is that such a commitment often leads to a chemistry that surpasses the sparks at the start.

God loves you!

Mike

*http://www.godhungry.org/marriage-when-you-refuse-to-settle-for-the-shallow/

Dealing With Critics

Greg Boyd was asked one time whether he had experienced any pushback over his beliefs and how he responded to it.  Here is part of his answer:

“My first encounter with the “backlash” you mentioned took place in the mid-90’s when John Piper launched a public crusade to get me fired from Bethel University and to have my church kicked out of the Baptist General Conference  on the grounds that I was a “heretic.”  There were also attempts by some to force publishers to stop publishing my books and for Christians to boycott bookstores that sold them. Hundreds of pastors signed a petition to get me fired, with only one of them taking the time to ask me what I actually believed and why I believed it.

“Being the sinner that I am, my initial response was anger mixed with a little fear. But it wasn’t too long before the Lord got my attention and helped me realize that this response was neither Christ-like nor healthy for me. I strongly sensed that the Lord gave me an assignment I was to carry out for a year to help me through this period: Every single day, I was to pray for the well-being of those who were leading this crusade! Initially, this was really hard, but I soon found that this exercise freed me from the cancer of bitterness and even empowered me to genuinely love my “enemy.” This deepened my conviction about the importance of obeying Jesus’ command to love, serve and pray for those who persecute us (Mt 5:44-45; Lk 6:27-35). I encourage anyone who is harboring anger toward someone to engage in this daily exercise.”*

What a great example of dealing with ugliness in a Christ-like way! It’s so tempting to get down into the mire and sling mud back against your critics, but I encourage you to resist temptation.  May I share an indelicate but accurate reminder I read somewhere?  “You will never win a puking contest with a buzzard.”  Think about that the next time you want to get even.

God loves you!

Mike

*https://rachelheldevans.com/blog/ask-open-theist-greg-boyd-response

Sharpen Your Tools

“A young man approached the foreman of a logging crew and asked for a job. “That depends,” replied the foreman. “Let’s see you fell this tree.” The young man stepped forward, and skilfully felled a great tree. Impressed, the foreman exclaimed, “You can start Monday.” Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday rolled by — and Thursday afternoon the foreman approached the young man and said, “You can pick up your paycheck on the way out today.” Startled, the young man replied, “I thought you paid on Friday.” “Normally we do,” said the foreman. “But we’re letting you go today because you’ve fallen behind. Our daily felling charts show that you’ve dropped from first place on Monday to last place today.” “But I’m a hard worker,” the young man objected. “I arrive first, leave last, and even have worked through my coffee breaks!” The foreman, sensing the young man’s integrity, thought for a minute and then asked, “Have you been sharpening your axe?” The young man replied, “No sir, I’ve been working too hard to take time for that!””*

Have you sharpened the tools in your spiritual growth toolbox lately?  We are called to grow as children of God (Ephesians 4:15; 2 Peter 3:18) but it is so easy to get complacent, especially as the tools we used previously to grow become dull.  Perhaps it was time spent in God’s Word that proved to be so effective in fueling growth in your early years as a disciple of Jesus. But for one reason or another (i.e. neglect or indifference) that particular tool has lost its edge.  Or maybe it was being with brothers and sisters in Christ in times of Bible study, worship, and fellowship that prompted the greatest movement toward maturity for you.  But, over time, being with your spiritual family became less of a priority, effectively blunting whatever benefit you once enjoyed.

Maybe it’s time to sharpen the tools we use to grow spiritually.  Spiritual growth is a never-ending task. Sharp tools make the job easier.

God loves you!

Mike

*http://storiesforpreaching.com/category/sermonillustrations/training