Affection part 2
Let me try to spell it out for you: "But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into your lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard--things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments" (Galatians 5:22 MSG). Jesus is the vine and we are the branches, right? So when fruit appears in the orchard, it appears in us. Fruit comes from the branches. We bear the fruit by giving it to the people we come into contact with. And look at that fruit: Affection for others. When you are filled to overflowing with love... it manifests in affection towards each other. We find ourselves in loyal commitments. Relationships that last. Bonds that have deep roots. I wanted to say, "Close your eyes," at this point, but don't do that. Keep them open and keep reading. But think about that person in your life that you're not especially fond of. That person that kind of makes you roll your eyes when you think about them. The person you might want to cross the street to avoid. Now think about pouring yourself into that person. Loving that person, not in spite of those things you don't like about them... but because of them. Loving that person for who THEY are, not who YOU wish they were. And I'm not saying you have to be in any kind of romantic relationship with them. Sometimes people mistake nice (or even polite) with romantic intent. This isn't that. But just imagine how different your relationship with that person would be if you DIDN'T cross the street when you saw them coming. If, instead, you took yourself out of the equation and just gave THEM what THEY needed. I've spoken a bit about some of the people at work that I endeavor to get along with. And, in all honesty, I just like everybody because it's easier that way. I don't need people to agree with me. Or think like I think. Or like what I like. Because I know that it's not all about me. I can laugh with those who are laughing and I can weep with those who are weeping. If someone gets excited about something that I couldn't care less about... I can let them be excited. I can share their excitment. And in that way I can strengthen that bond with them. That loyal commitment. When you share your life with someone, or let them share their life with you, it's hard not to find affection for them. When you make what they want, or need, more important to you than what you want... that's love, man. That's sacrificial, agape, God love. That's the love feast. And the thing about a feast is, you CAN eat it all by yourself... but it's so much better when you share it. A feast means there is more than enough for just you. It is a shared meal. Because things work out better when we work together. Shared experiences are better (for the most part) than individual experiences. Sometimes being alone is ok. But love takes two to tango. And you can love anybody. You can love everybody. Because you have been filled with love. You can't give what you don't have, and you can only give what you do have. You have been filled with the love of God. So you can fill yourself to overflowing with what you've been filled with and let it out onto any and every body!