Honey part 4
Honey makes things taste good. Which is one of the things I think we miss when we're dealing with the gospel. We make it about doom and gloom. We make it about fiery end times. We make it about "get right or get left." We make it about anything and everything BUT love. And I think part of the reason why we do that is because an unconditional love that is freely given to us... seems too good to be true. We don't think we deserve it. So we try to earn it. And we're willing to do just about anything to do it. Jump through any hoop. Fit into any box. And we end up settling for less. Way, way less. Because, "...unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen" (Ephesians 3:20-21). God is able to do more than we could ever ask. Or even think. But we settle for whatever the world is willing to part with. Whatever we think we deserve. And it isn't much. Because for the most part, we don't seem to think much of ourselves. Because we know the worst things we've ever done. We were right there doing it. But, according to Romans 2:4, it is the GOODNESS of God that leads to repentance. Not the scariness of God. The goodness. I think the problem is that we want people to change, but we don't know how to motivate them to change. And, really, its not MY job to change ANYBODY. That's what the Holy Spirit is for. But we take it upon ourselves and the best we can come up with is trying to scare people straight. But I'm convinced that positive is better than negative. Fear of punishment doesn't stop people from doing things, it just makes them work harder to not get caught. But if we can show someone something better than what they've got... a more excellent way... why wouldn't they grab ahold of that? I think people settle when they convince themselves that "this is as good as it gets." When people don't think it can get any better. "It is what it is." Well, sure, but that doesn't mean you can't inject some love into the situation and improve things. Or, inject some love into the situation and be satisfied that you did what you could, whether it improves or not. Because love is not about getting something. Love is not about making something happen. Love isn't in the result. Love is in the doing. Because love is giving. And once you give someone something, its on THEM as to what they do with what you've given them. You can't give someone something and then get mad at them for using it in a different way than you expected them to. You just give what you've got and let the rest sort itself out. And if what you've got is good--SINCE what you've got IS good--it just might be exactly what they were looking for. I always say you were not called to change the world... but if you love someone, chances are you WILL change THEIR world. Honey. Revelation. The revelation that we are loved. That its not bad and getting worse. That there IS something good out there. Not in a "good versus evil" sense, I touched on that yesterday, but in an "exceeding abundantly above" sense. In a "there's a more excellent way" sense. In a super natural sense. God's super (love) on our natural. That's what makes life taste good. Honey. Revelation. Love.