Well first off, welcome to my first blog. It's something I've wanted to do for a while but just never thought I'd have the time for or a good enough reason to do it. But I've changed my routine a bit and should be blogging at least once/day so feel free to check in frequently as I'll try to keep fresh content on here. So, here we go...
I've been studying 1 Corinthians and today brings me to chapter 13, the infamous love chapter. So let me just say, I love you guys! This isn't an unfamiliar passage for most but to briefly sum it up, it gives a comprehensive definition of what true love is. It's not just your actions (v. 1-3) because even if you save 1000 babies from 1000 buildings but don't have love, it profits nothing. God is always looking at the intent of our hearts over our actions and while that may sound a bit crass, esp for those of you with baby-building-saving experience, its actually an example of God's grace to us. We might be able to flaunt our counterfeit love here on earth but God knows whats up.
As I look at verses 4-7, the only accurate depiction of such a perfect love is our God. Love is longsuffering and kind....God dealt with the Israelites' constant betrayal for hundreds of years, and while He didn't spare them the rod (because he loves them of course) the amazing thing is how He went out of His way to keep blessing them, so much so that He would ultimately sacrifice His own Son for this rowdy bunch. Many of us can't imagine even sacrificing a smile to a co-worker who we think has somehow wronged us. Love endures all things....a focused reading of the end of any of the gospels (or an extensive viewing of The Passion of the Christ) would just about help you get the point here.
In my bible study, we've been going through a study called Crazy Love by Francis Chan, which I'd highly recommend. Chan describes how God ties together two of God's greatest commandments from Matthew 22:36-39 - "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your strength" and "Love your neighbor as yourself." Then in chapter 25, in response to those asking how we can serve God, we hear Jesus say "'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me." So the challenge then becomes for us to treat everyone we meet the same way we would treat Jesus, because it's clear from these verses that this is how we will be judged. I challenge you to think about the implications of such an exercise and how that could change your life. This includes, but is not limited to, the lady in the grocery store with 100 items in the '12 items or less' lane, the slow guy in the fast lane with his blinker on and on his cell phone, Pittsburgh Steelers fans, and other such people we may generally find despicable (sorry Steeler fan, I'm genuinely working on trying to love you).
As many of you may know I just recently found out I'm going to be a father. For a while it was kinda surreal and was a really cool thing that was happening in my life. But when I first heard the heartbeat and then saw the sonograms, I was in love. Now you parents with fully-developed, out-of-womb children likely understand this more fully but I'm starting to get a glimpse of what an unconditional love feels like. My prayer today is that each day I grow in the type of love described in 1 Cor 13. That I can be more patient, kind and enduring with my wife and our new child. That the motive behind my works would be love and not attention. That I become less judgemental and begin to view others as Christ does - people worthy of love and found worthy of a Saviour.
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I cannot believe you didn't tell me you are going to be a father. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteAlso you hit a key point - God is always looking at the intent! Thats also why no one can be righteous apart from God! I like your post - God bless you and grow you in wisdom and understanding.
Ryan, this was beautiful and Continued Blessings and Congrats to you and Kendra! Now, I will address your new gift from God! "Rearing Children" is not great feat if done with and in love. Ephesians 6:4 comes to mind "And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath; but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord".... (My dear beloved late father, Reverend Cleveland Jones) quoted that scripture often, and I mean often when he spoke of children and the family and he was one of the most kind and gentile but STRICT God-fearing man I have known. I remember once he asked a little girl in church how many were in her family (this is an old story that I have kept in my memory bank) and the child replied seven. Daddy said, well that must be costly. The little girl quickly replied in a childs' innocence, "Rev. Jones, we don't buy them, we raise them." Laughter erupted in the class. So from that I say to you (and Kendra) it is in the upkeep, the upbringing --- that is what is costly! And I do not mean money! I mean bringing them up in the way they should be (even if they go astray). Train up a child in the way he {she} should go and... well u know the scripture......... It cost time, guidance, example, patience, work, play, study and thought and all that combined is LOVE! Training is everything. One of my least favorite foods (Candied yams, yep, candied yams) but to put this in another context: Sweetened Beautiful Yams are nothing but country sweet potatoes that went to cooking school. If only a thousand and more pens and tongues and blogs would declare the urgency of rearing children properly and in the love and admonition of God. The future of the world depends on it. May today's children be the bulwarks of morality, the keepers of orthodoxy; walk in the FAITH continually and be the guardians of decency and respect! Ably rearing children requires us to 1. Lead them in the way of the WORD; 2. Love them and not spoil them; 3. Discipline them and not domineer them; 4. Leand them and not master them; 5. Protect them and not smother them; 6. Help them and not hinder them; 7. Hold them and not possess them and to 8. Treasure them and not hoard them.
ReplyDeleteWishing you and yours continued blessings, favor, mercy, peace, grace and love. The greatest of these is LOVE (Charity)!
sej
That is my prayer for you and Kendra as well especially Patience with a capital P! Bah Humbug to the Steeler fan.
ReplyDeleteI'm so proud of you and you continously amaze me!I love you and Kendra and my grandchild will be love fully for all of the reasons decribed in your message. I have a few questions and comments that I will have to share maybe to tomorrow, but for now, keep sharing the blessing others with the gifts that God has given you. Thanks for sharing and yes teaching...
ReplyDeleteTo think i was resistant to reading e-mails. Thank you Ryan for sharing the word of God and your thoughts.Congratulations and welcome to parenthood. I just hugged my 2 year old son Cyrus. He was snacking on some grapes, that i provided for him in a blue glass bowl. You see all the new earthy mom's are sharing how aweful plastic is and off course he held it over his head and explored the force of gravity! Because the glass was blue, i was able to see the huge spay of glass perimiter. I was grateful for the blue color, but pretty angry about the mess. After I cleaned up the enless mess of glass shards, my son brought me the empty grape bowl, now shatter proof Corelle which no doubt contains lead or something equivialently horrible to plastic, and said "Thank you mommy, I am finished," with his cute face and sweet voice, in his Spiderman Underoos. The present of God was once again in my heart. Thank stephanie for the opportunity to reflect. I am reminded to change my eyes, not my landscape.
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