do we really love?

This is the month of Love! Everyone celebrates "LOVE" on the 14Th, but as I said last post; Why not carry it into your YEAR, not just one day. Everyone needs to know and feel loved! Love is the subject of this post, or maybe I should say lack of.. There are groups out there that say they are christian and do things that as a follower of Christ shouldn't do because it does not show Christs love! I feel that the world is seeing Christian's as an unloving group of people and this saddens me and I guess it also disappoints me.  I understand that everyone wants to have a voice, they want their views to be heard, but I feel there is a place and a time. If someone asks me something, I will tell them my opinion and how I feel,but I do try to do it in a loving way. A way that SHOWS Christ's love and hopefully doesn't turn people away from Christ. If you stand up for something in such a way that it turns people OFF from Christ, I don't think that it is an effective method or delivery. In all I do I want to point to GOD, not to my own thoughts and desires... There are things that I desire for this country, there are things that I want for life, etc, but if I am going after things and NOT letting God lead me and teach me and show me how to effectively get my message out, then it is done in vain I think. I think that things done in love speak louder than just speaking (or sometimes arguing) to get your point out. The Bible speaks of love because GOD IS LOVE! The first command is to love GOD, then the next is to love others! If we are hurtful in trying to get our message out, it is NOT showing God's love. I am not saying that standing up for God is wrong, but i think that the method in which we do is very important. There are certain people that do a great job of this. I saw an interview with someone and it was on different "political" issues, and other issues, and yes, he is a christian. He did a wonderful job at saying what he believes but not trying to push it on someone, he said it all very well (he knew what he was talking about), he was non threatening, and I felt he spoke in a way that glorified God, showed God's love and got in his message of what he believes. I know that God would not lead us to be or speak unlovingly, since he is love. I think we as Christians need to seek God on how HE wants us to speak, how HE wants us to show his love in certain situations, and really rely on HIS spirit to guide us into all truth even as we speak to people on different issues we are passionate about. I know that different people have different issues in which they are passionate about, but God needs to be glorified in EVERYTHING we do, say, act etc. The passage below comes from Matthew 5. Please read:

³⁸ "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.'^[f] 39 But I tell you, don't stand up against an evil person. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other cheek also.⁴⁰ If someone wants to sue you in court and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.⁴¹ If someone forces you to go with him one mile, go with him two miles. ⁴² If a person asks you for something, give it to him. Don't refuse to give to someone who wants to borrow from you.

Love All People

    ⁴³ "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor^[g] and hate your enemies.' ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you.^[h] 45 If you do this, you will be true children of your Father in heaven. He causes the sun to rise on good people and on evil people, and he sends rain to those who do right and to those who do wrong.⁴⁶ If you love only the people who love you, you will get no reward. Even the tax collectors do that.⁴⁷ And if you are nice only to your friends, you are no better than other people. Even those who don't know God are nice to their friends. 


I think that this speaks to a lot of issues. I think that the first part speaks of "fighting back". I have to say this is SOOOO easy to do! I have done it and I NOW KNOW that it wasn't doing any good and just turning that other person off as we both got heated about the topic. I think that if one fights back too much then it will ultimately turn the other person off to your message and we need to sometimes agree to disagree. I think there is a verse that fits nicely here found in 1 Corinthians 3. "⁶ I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. ⁷ So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. ⁸ The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor." We each have a job, but ultimately it is God who will make that seed grow in the heart of the one who hears, the thing is, it is easier to have that word grow in someone if you do it in love and not by offending, or fighting back. The next portion is "love your enemies". Yes  the unspoken thing to do: hate your enemies, take revenge on your enemies, give 'em what they deserve. blah blah blah. This portion says, ' hey its SUPER easy to love those who love you in return, but I am telling you to also love those who don't love you in return, those who hate you, those who do NOT want to hear what you have to say!' So how do you show love to those who HATE you?? Well, sometimes you need to seek God in certain situations and hear from Him as to how to show love. but I think that a good thing we need to always ask our selves is "is this giving glory to God?" "are these words that I want to speak showing HIS love?" I think that is a good gauge on how to tame our tongue at times. At all times we want to bring glory to God, in all situations and circumstances. We always want to show HIM in a positive light not a negative one. We always want to shine HIS love!