"It (love) does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." (1 Cor. 13:4b NIV)
What a difference this type of love describes from the love in this world. People are proud. We don't want to admit when we are wrong. We want people to acknowledge our work. We tend to applaud ourselves for what we do. But Is this love? Are we not -- missing the boat?
Think about it: When our motivation is the congratulations we receive, we are often...appauding ourselves! According to 1 Cor. 13, however, this is not love.
I remember once, when I was about 12 years old, a clock in our house broke. Back in those days, clocks were mechanical and not electronic, and I decided I would repair the clock. I could just hear how proud my parents would be of me when I presented them with a working clock!
I worked really hard on that clock, and its repairs cost me a lot of time. It would all be worthwhile, however, because I would be able to show my parents that I had repaired it.
Two weeks later, the clock was, actually, working! Unfortunately, it was running really fast. In fact, the minute hand acted almost like a second hand! That clock, after my careful repairs, would never again be a reliable time piece.
I was ashamed to admit to my parents that I wasn't able to fix the clock. They, however, told me what a great job I had done. They told me how proud they were that I had stuck with it so long, and they admired the initiative I had shown in wanting to fix it in the first place. They they reminded me that even though the clock wasn't keeping time, I had at least succeeded in making it run!
We all had a good laugh about that one, and our love for one another was almost tangible. I kept that clock for a long time as a reminder of how much my parents loved me. Eventually, after about a year, I did throw it out; nonetheless I still remember the incident. Not because of the fact that I hadn't be able to fix the clock, but because of the love my parents showed me at that moment in my life when I needed their approval so badly.
True love, the love that comes from God, is never proud. It doesn't boast and it doesn't envy. Love is way better than anything else.
Rob Chaffart
Would You Like a new Clock? God's Love in You, Part 8
Today's Bible Verse:
"It (love) does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." (1 Cor. 13:4b NIV)
Would You Like a new Clock? God's Love in You, Part 8
Announcement:
It's a SCARY world out there right now.
Brother Rob and I just got back home yesterday. We were wintering in warmer spaces in the southern part of the US without a care in the world...You know, it happens to other people, not to us! And then...News flash! All Canadians are advised to come home! Wait. That can't be us! We're not "abroad"! And besides, we're not sick! After prayer for guidance, we packed up, hopped in the car and beelined for home. Four long days of driving, and we receive the news: The US/Canadian border is...closed!
God is good, we, along with a gazillion other Canadians who were presumably also wintering in warmer parts, were the only ones at the border. We were allowed in, but we are all in mandatory isolation for the next two weeks...
Am I telling you this for sympathy? Not at all! True enough, we probably wouldn't feel good for awhile if we were infected, but the virus probably wouldn't kill us as we're healthy and -- relatively -- young! But here's the lesson I hope each of you will hear today: It isn't about us! It's about the vulnerable ones we could unknowningly infect during the incubation period of this monsterous virus. Social distancing is the only weapon that we have, humanly speaking. Social distancing protects us, but perhaps more importantly, it protects the vulnerable ones around us. It protects grandma. It protects Uncle Scott who is Chemotherapy. It protects your neighbor, Steve, who has an autoimmune disorder. It protects Bobbie, the neighbour boy with asthma. It protects us all!
Is this said in a spirit of fear? Not at all. It is said in a spirit of love. God is still on His throne. Miracles still happen. But God also still asks us to love our neighbours as ourselves. We must also do our part!
I emplore each of you: Isolate yourself as much as you can. Wear a mask and gloves when you are in public (and yes, this means even those of you who live in unaffected places!), wash your hands often, and don't touch your face. Yes, even when your nose itches! Change your clothes once back home, and only go out when absolutely necessary.
The rest, we leave to our Almighty Father in Heaven. Let's remember: "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up..." (John 3:14 NIV). Praise God, the Son of Man has ALREADY been lifted up, and if ever there is a time when we need to look up to Jesus, it's now!
God bless all of you! Stay safe, keep others safe by isolating yoruself, even if you're young and healthy, and mostly, look up to the Son of Man who has made a way!
In His love,
Lyn Chaffar
Moderate, The Nugget
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