Love

It’s All Small Stuff!

/ pastorpete51 / 9 Comments 
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV

Most of us probably remember the saying, “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” from the book of the same title by Richard Carlson. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul makes an even deeper truth clear. There are three things that make up the big stuff in life. Everything else is temporary. Our accomplishments, our financial health and our position in this life only last for a little while. In fact, if we would go back to the beginning of this chapter, we would find that Paul even lists things such as, giving away everything we have to the poor or suffering a martyr’s death in flames are things that pale in comparison to God’s love. When life comes to an end, only three things will fit into our heavenly suitcase. Only faith hope and love will be carried into eternity. The times we prayed for a lost loved one or neighbor as we clung onto our hope in God’s promises, the fearful steps into the unknown that we took by faith because we trusted God knew best, and the loving words, actions or prayers that we gave even when we weren’t being loved in return: will be the only things that God will allow us to carry beyond the Pearly gates. Everything else is small stuff. May the words of C.T. Studd in his poem, Only One Life guide and fill you with God’s faith, hope and love today, because that is big stuff indeed!

Two little lines I heard one day,
Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

More About Jesus

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I have always loved the words of the song, “More About Jesus.” They have encouraged me over the fifty plus years that I have been a Christian, because, when I have failed, sometimes fallen into sin, or made foolish decisions, they remind me that God has something better in His plan. He has planted something in my heart that longs to be more like Jesus and to show His love as I should, and He intended. This precious hymn was written in 1887 by Eliza Hewitt after a severe injury forced her early retirement from school teaching. But instead of anger or bitterness at losing the opportunity to do what she loved, her response was to write, “More about Jesus would I know – More of His love to others show”

As Eliza Hewitt shows us, there is nothing Jesus commanded more than for us to show His love to other people. First, He told us to love our Christian brothers and sisters and lay our lives down for them. Most of us get that part, but Jesus didn’t stop there. He also commanded us to love our neighbors, especially those who are completely different than us, like in the story of the Good Samaritan. Then, most surprising of all, Jesus also commanded us to love our enemies and shockingly, to pray for God’s blessing on them! Why in the world did He ask us to do that? Why should we love people who have hurt us, abused our trust or deceived us for their own gain? I love that, instead of giving us a long explanation, Jesus showed us what that means by allowing His enemies to drive nails through HIs hands and feet and then praying, “Father forgive them.” Until that truth touches the deepest part of our hearts, we will never really know the love of Christ as we should, because the Cross is where we learn to love Him and to serve Him by allowing that love to flow through us to others. I do hope you will enjoy our simple rendering of this old hymn. May God bless you as you seek to serve Him, by loving others today.

Surprised by Love

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A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. Luke 22:24 ESV

Earlier this year, I was surprised by the beautiful flower that suddenly appeared on a large cactus, that had always looked awkward and unlovely. Somehow, just the right combination of rainfall and temperature, had flipped the switch on an inner clock and spectacular white blossoms began to cover its dull and twisted trunk. In the same way, a funny thing happened at the Last Supper. Just after Jesus had finished giving them the bread and the wine, while supper was ending, the disciples began arguing among themselves about who was most important. I can just imagine Jesus striking his forehead and crying out “Oy Vey! These disciples are making me crazy!”

We may chuckle at the absurdity of that scene, but sadly, that conflict about who is the most important, has remained among us till today. But that night, Jesus set us all an example of what we should be doing, when He surprised the disciples by beginning to wash their feet. Now, we don’t do much foot washing in the 21st century, but the kind of service that this humble task represents is still very much with us. As Easter approaches, we need to each ask God just how He wants us to wash feet. His answer just may become the greatest surprise of our lives!

 So He got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. John 13:4-6 ESV