Effort part 4
I know people have different love languages. And since this one is mine, I feel somewhat qualified to Rant about it. But having said that, I think when you spend your three t's (time, talent, treasure) on someone... when you make an effort... it says a lot. Actions speak louder than words, right? Because people can say whatever they want to say, but when the rubber meets the road that's when you can really see what's what. When you put your money where your mouth is, I guess is what I'm trying to say. Which, by the way, is exactly what Jesus did. In John 15:13 (NLT) Jesus said, "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends." He TOLD us what love was all about. But He didn't leave it at that. He went to the cross and literally laid His life down for us. He SHOWED us what love is. And by giving His life for us (and to us) He equipped and enabled us to love each other in that same manner. The effort He gave--the work He finished--allows us receive and release that love. Because we AREN'T trying to finish the work. We are resting in His loving arms. We are enjoying the fruit of HIS labor. Which is the fruit of the Spirit. Which is love. I started this Rant series by mentioning a previous one called, "Maximum Effort." And in that series I wasn't trying to say you have to wear yourself slap out in order to love people. I wasn't trying to say you should ever get in over your head or put yourself in a bad position. I was simply trying to say that love IS the maximum effort. Giving someone (or something) everything you are and everything you have is literally all you can do. And its either enough... or its not. I think a lot of times familiarity really does breed contempt. We take people for granted and the things that we thought were cool (or at least tolerable) start to get on our nerves. That's when its even more important to give that effort. To decide if the juice is worth the squeeze. To decide if its worth it. (Spoiler alert: People are always worth the effort.) And here's where it gets good... when it comes to relationships you don't have to do it all on your own. When it comes to relationships you do what you can do, and they do what they can do, and together it all gets done. Its not that black hole feeling of giving and giving and giving until you've got nothing left to give. Its love feeding on itself and growing and growing. I think some of the best relationships are the ones where instead of comparing who brings what to the table... you simply decide to SHARE the table. That's what receiving and releasing the gift of God is all about: Giving what you've got to those who need it even as the other people in your life give what they've got. Sharing is caring, right? A little effort goes a long way. I think its so powerful when you hit someone up to ask how they're doing. Because, to me, that shows that you were thinking about them. And if you ask someone how they're doing on a day when they think nobody cares about them... you may have literally just saved a life. A little thing, from your opinion, that meant EVERYTHING to someone else. So I guess what I'm trying to say today is: Put in the effort. Because its worth it. Even if it doesn't go exactly how you hope it will... you did what YOU could do. You acted out of thoughtfulness and kindness. You put love out into the world. And that's what we were created to do: Be loved, and love each other with that same love!