Love as a Practice

Chuckle: Why did the bowlegged cowboy get fired? He couldn't keep his calves together!

Quote: "We may easily be too big for God to use, but never too small." --D.L. Moody

LOVE AS A PRACTICE

"Serve one another in love" (Galatians 5:13 NIV).

Have you ever wondered why we call a physician's work a "practice?" I don't think any of us want a doctor "practicing" on us -- we want him to attend to us only after he has perfected his skills. Of course we understand that in this case the word "practice" means he/she is applying his skills for the benefit of his patients. However, when it comes to Christian love, we need to practice it day in and day out in a life-long effort to get it right -- to love as Jesus loves. “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us . . .” (Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV)

Most Christians are pretty good at expressing their love to one another, verbally, or maybe even with a hug. Such expressions are rooted in warm and fuzzy feelings we have for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Telling others that we love them is a good thing and should never be neglected. But words alone just won't cut it when we apply the Biblical standard to the way we should love one another.

Christian love is more than words and more than a warm emotional feeling. Christian love is serving the ones whom we love. It is demonstrated by our actions. It means getting our hands dirty as we help meet the needs of others. It means having the heart of a servant like our Lord who wrapped himself in a towel and washed the dusty or muddy feet of his disciples (see John 13:1-17).

Jesus set the bar extremely high for us when it comes to loving one another through acts of kindness and service. While none of us has reached the point where we can love like Jesus loves us, we must never stop striving to be like Him. Jesus said, "As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34-35 NIV).

You know Lord how I serve you, with great emotional fervor, in the limelight.

You know how eagerly I speak for you, at a women's club.

You know how I effervesce when I promote a fellowship group.

You know my genuine enthusiasm at a Bible study.

But how would I react, I wonder, if you pointed to a basin of water,

and asked me to wash the calloused feet

of a bent and wrinkled old woman, day after day, month after month,

in a room where nobody saw, and nobody knew?

--Ruth Harms Calkin

Love, Jerry & Dotse