Loving My Neighbor 2/14/2012

Happy Valentines Day!

How's your love life today...if you are measuring with a thermometer...or some other gauge...are we suffering long?  being kind? not thing evil or holding grudges? or??

All this week as I've been preparing...meditating on Agape love...described in 1 Cor. 13, I've been hearing...

So what if you are loving those who love you? What about the unloving? What about the unlovely?

Today, as I began typing here, and began to turning through Luke, thinking I will find Jesus telling the disciples not only to love the LORD with all their hearts, souls and minds...but to love their neighbor as themselves.

There as I turned the page was what I was just telling you about.  It is found in Luke 6, and...beginning in verse 31, it says:

"And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those  from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil."


God always comes through..I'm looking...seeking...and I might  not find immediately...but He always makes sure that I find what I'm seeking...even if a bit later. :)


Pretty wonderful, huh? God is not telling us just to practice love with our family...or with friends who appreciate and return our love.  He even tells us to meet the need of people with no expectation of their  returning the favor, or the book, or give not loan.  He tells us we are the head and not the tail.

Listen to what happened to me several years ago...

LOVE:

I recently attended a seminar of a mentor of mine.  I’m not sure if you’ve heard of her before, Beth Moore, whose book, Praying the Word and her Bible Studies – too many to name – have blessed my socks off over the years.  Beth said, “I want everyone meeting with us today to memorize 1 Corinthians 13, the LOVE chapter.”

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 

When presented with this charge, I was taken back in my memory to a particular moment in time.  I was shopping in a local department store. I was buying a birthday card when I heard, a woman crying “Oh no!  It’s not possible!” 

   

Very much not like me, I moved close enough to hear what she was saying and not look like I was listening. I could hear my thoughts, What are you doing? Eavesdropping? It’s not your business. 

Something about her helplessness kept me listening.  Her scenario: She left her money at home.  Instead of her pocketbook, she only had the diaper bag.  She explained to the check-out clerk,  I live too far away to go home and return for the things my husband needs for the wedding he’s in, tomorrow.

Suddenly, I found myself saying to this total stranger, Let me pay for the items.” 

She said, “You can’t.  I need over $200".  

I said, “You’ll pay me back – right?” 

She said, “Yes, of course, but no one does this.” 

I said, “The LORD does!  He had me eavesdrop in order to let you know how much He loves you. Now, If you ever see a young woman in distress, you must be her help in time of trouble."

I love the hymn, Make Me a Blessing, and, that day, the Lord had made me a blessing to this young woman. I gave her my address and telephone number. 

A few days later, I received a phone call from her husband.  

He said, "I just needed to speak to you because I wasn’t sure that you were not an angel."

I received Christmas cards from the young couple for awhile.  Though we’ve lost touch,  I’ve never doubted for a moment, since that day, that God is Love, and that I can freely give that love to others. How great is that!  

Freely, I have received love.  Therefore, I freely love and so can you!

Love you much!

Teddi

This article appeared in UNC Magazine -- UP In Cumming (GA) last year.  Author, Teddi Holt (me)