Love Well

There seems to be much confusion these days over God's will for our lives and how to "do" ministry.  That is, if one is even interested in the church anymore.  Two experiences recently have convinced me, more than ever, that it really isn't that complicated.  Jesus gave us the answer a long time ago.  Perhaps, we didn't like His answer and so we try to come up with alternative solutions.  So what is the answer?  Why nothing less than the greatest commandment and the second(Matthew 22:37-40).  That's right, the answer is to love well!

Sounds easy enough.  Humans are involved, however, so it is anything but!  Yes, it is simple, for if we love we will fulfill all the law.  But, it is often hard to love well through pain, grief and misunderstandings.  Love costs.  All that aside, I have once again been shown the fruit of love and I am challenged to continue to try and love well.

The first experience was about a week ago.  I was back in my home state visiting family.  My husband and I had gone to the new Cabelas with my parents and were waiting in line at the pizza restaurant next door, when a man came up behind us and said our names.  It took a few minutes, but we soon were giving hugs all around as we recognized one another.  It was a friend from high school youth group that we hadn't seen in 20 plus years!  As we talked, it appeared to be a God moment.  He had recently been telling the youth group that he now leads about how great our youth group had been and the difference it had made in his life.  He also told my parents (who had been sponsors) several times how happy he was to see them and how much they had meant to him.  I saw how important it had been to have people in his life who loved him.

The second experience was today, as I witnessed the family of an elderly woman, in our church, who just passed away.  The sorrow over her departure was great, but they did not grieve as those who have no hope.  They grieved because they loved her, for she was a Godly woman who loved them well. 

It is my prayer, though it may take years or even a life time, that my life will bring forth fruit because I chose to love well.  As a friend so wonderfully reminded us, it isn't about us.  It is always about Jesus!  I can't love well, but He can.  And so in faith, I lose my life in order to find it...the life well lived in love.