Supply and Demand part 1
Let's keep going on this theme of the "bullets" in our "gun" when it comes to "Spiritual warfare." And by all of that I mean lets keep looking at the personality profile of Jesus. Lets keep looking at different aspects of love. Because when the only battle left, after Jesus went to the cross and won the war to end all wars, is the good fight of faith... and in order to win THAT war... we need faith. And faith works by love. Its all about love. So for the next few days I want to talk about 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT), "...It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged." It, of course, is love. Or charity (love in action). And I titled this Rant Series "Supply and Demand" because while humanity demands love... it (HE, Jesus, God) is the desire of our heart... love doesn't demand anything. Ever. Love is patient and kind. Love endures. Love doesn't expect anything at all. Remember my definition of love? "I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me" (2 Corinthians 12:15 NLT). Giving someone everything you have and everything you are. Laying your life down for your friends (and knowing that you destroy your enemies by MAKING them your friends). EVEN THOUGH. I think that's so important. Even though it seems like the harder I try, the more rejected I get. And I have to tell you, when I reach out and get my hand slapped away... boy oh boy does that make me want to STOP reaching out. Until I read the last part of 1 Corinthians 13:5, "...it keeps no record of being wronged." And, listen, I'm not saying you should put--or keep--yourself in a bad situation. But lets say you reach out to someone and they reject what you're offering. In my opinion, you've done what you could do. But then lets say that person comes to you for help. You can either say, "Nope. I tried. You had your chance." OR you can be the bigger man. You can try to be understanding of WHY they rejected you in the first place. Or, if you can't get to that level... you can just let it go. You can not keep a record of being wronged. (And can I just throw this out here? If sinning, or "wronging God" is how you get to hell, but the God who is love doesn't keep a record of wrongs... I'll just leave that there.) So while love doesn't demand anything--much less His own way--and while humanity needs love to... live really (because to live is to love and to love is to live)... what I'm trying to say is: We have the supply. One of my favorite lines from one of my dad's favorite movies is, "Who run barter town?" Because in that movie the people who controlled the water were in control. I'm not saying we should use love in that way, but I AM saying we have what everyone needs. And its a limitless supply. We are connected to the source of love. And the more love we share... the more love, in a sense, we have. The more love we experience. We experience it BY giving it away. We receive it and release it. We receive it BY releasing it. Love doesn't demand its (HIS) own way. But love DOES demand to be used. To be shared. To be given to everyone and anyone. With no concept of "deserve." With no record of rights or wrongs. No rhyme or reason. Just love, love, love...!