Friday, January 21, 2011

Love Bears All... Do I Gotta?

Valentine's Day is on the way in a few weeks.  Love mean different things to people. There are different levels of love: agape, phileo.... more levels, all the levels I learned while getting my degree in Religious Education. (That sounded really snotty. Not my intention.)

Heavy



So I was thinking about love and went to the Bible. I read 1 Corinthians 13 , the love chapter.  So today I focused on what love does, or more importantly, how I show love. Not just to my husband or son, but everyone. Tough one.

13:7 bears all things, believes all things,

hopes all things, endures all things.


Bears all things. Supports, never gives up, protects, all different versions of the word "bears".  But what does it mean to bear all things.

Many of us believe that to bear a burden is of course the right Christian thing to do. But truth be told it is probably one of the most difficult things to do, simply because it requires us to put aside our own emotions and feelings in order to care for someone else.  Whew... heavy.

When we truly love someone we need to learn to be there for them whatever trials they are going through. This includes your husband, children, family, and even your brothers and sisters in Christ or strangers.

Bearing all things means sticking by the ones you love and encouraging them even if you are frustrated with them. It is doing what’s right, especially when we don’t feel like it, because you love them and you want to honor God.


Giving up on someone you love is not the way to honor God.  Now, if the situation is dangerous you can still love, pray, and bear their burden from a distance.

Jesus was the greatest example of loving everyone no matter their burden or sin. Jesus ate with the sinners, washed their feet, forgave them, and the ultimate He died for them.

Jesus showed us what it means to "bear all things" to show His love for us, and for our Father. Bearing all things with require some sacrifice, might be painful, and could possibly just suck. However, when we bear each others burdens we are loving those around us the way Jesus showed His love to the world.

Sometimes I can get so caught up in how the other persons problem is making me feel that I forget to consider THEIR own personal struggle.

Love one another as Jesus did, and encourage others to do the same this Valentine's Day.

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