Loving People

Today I was doing my Bible study and guess what it was on? Loving people. You could say it’s ironic, but I believe it was God’s perfect timing that this lesson happened to fall on Valentine’s Day. Honestly, Dan and I don’t really ever do much for the day because we try to celebrate our love everyday (I know, Kristin, stop the cheesiness – but truly, it’s kind of true). We did have someone very near and dear to our hearts over for supper though, and we were very blessed by it.

Anyways, the passage this study was on was 1 Peter 3:8-22. The first question was “describe a time when someone demonstrated Christ’s love to you in a practical way. Immediately I thought of Brenda. I have told her this before, but because of her gift to us, it has drawn me closer to Christ and helped me comprehend a little more of what Christ’s love for us looks like. What Brenda has offered almost seems “impractical” in a human sense – to give up over 9 months of your life for someone – carrying a child that you will not take home yourself. Doesn’t seem very practical, does it? But Christ’s love is not necessarily practical – He goes above and beyond.

Ever struggle to love constantly and consistently? I know I do…I can get selfish with my time. Another part of the study talked about the “piranha hour.” Max Lucado says “It’s that time of day when every one wants a piece of you – when is your piranha hour? Prianha hours. Parents have them, bosses endure them, secretaries dread them, teachers are besieged by them, and Jesus taught us how to live through them successfully. When hands extended and voices demanded, Jesus responded with love. He did so because the code within him disarmed the alarm. The code is worth noting. ‘People are precious.'”

I think sometimes hard to remember just how much Christ loved. I feel like there were so many different aspects of His love that it’s hard to apply them all – but I’ve learned I don’t need to look much further than at the Beatitudes! Another study I am in, talked about that exact thing. We are reading the book “With” by Skye Jethani. In that book he says with regards to the Beatitudes “Do you think Jesus was serious? Do you believe he actually expects us to live the way described in this sermon?” Boy do I find myself almost saying that in my heart at times. And I am sad to say that. But to be able to be willing and ready to live out each of them all of the time, is a high calling – but it’s a calling that Christ is calling us to. And it is impossible to do them without love. Skye says “But all of it starts with trust (a.k.a. faith) in God’s ever-present love and care for me.”

I need to trust that God will catch me when I fall, when I fail, and help me get back up.

Brenda said to me the other day that we have the opportunity to be “Jesus with skin.” That really challenged me because I am to be a representation of who He is daily – that means His love as well. I am so thankful for the opportunities He has given me to love, but I also regret the times when I have not loved as He would love.

It’s all part of that sanctification process and boy am I thankful for God’s grace in my life. I am definitely a work in progress :).