Whatsoever part 4
Its all about doing whatever you do from a place of love. From a place of giving what you've got, instead of trying to be someone you're not in order to get something you think you haven't got. But lets keep going with our passage in Colossians chapter 3. Verse 16 says, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." And here's what I see in this verse: The Word (which is Jesus, which is love) dwells in you when it fills you to overflowing and comes out of you. Already we've seen the idea of thanksgiving, or being thankful. And you can't be thankful for something you don't have. You can't be thankful for something you might get, someday, if you're good enough. I don't think many people thank their employers for their wages. Because they work for them, and earn them. But when someone GIVES you something, that's when "thank you" applies. That's when you simply receive and release the gift you've been given. And that second part--releasing it--is how you show that you're thankful for it. Because you're not hording it, or squandering it. You're sharing it. So, again, the love of God dwells in you when it comes out of you. Richly. Abundantly. Living (loving) without fear. Giving what you've got because its too good to keep to yourself. And then we kind of look at a few ways of HOW we release this Word. Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. I've said this before--there are some people in my life that I can drop a memory verse on and it really makes an impact. That's where they're at and that's what hits them in the heart--right between the eyes. But most of the people I interact with on a daily basis would get a glazed over look in their eyes if I quoted good old King James at them. Which is where "singing with grace" comes in. Because I'm completely convinced--because I do it all the time--that you can talk about God all day long and you can do it without ever saying the words "God," "Jesus," "Bible," or anything even remotely religious. Because... well... let me say it this way: Almost every night Logan and I go through a question and answer routine. "Who is God?" Love. "What's His name?" Jesus. "Where does He live?" In your heart. Because if I don't teach my son anything else about anything, that's what I want Him to know. So I can talk about God all day long... by talking about love. And, even better, by putting love on display. By SHOWING people love. By loving them. Singing with grace in my heart. Singing my love song unto the God who is love, by loving the people that I come into contact with. It doesn't matter who they are, or WHERE they are (Spiritually speaking). It doesn't matter if they're righteous, or filthy, or unjust, or holy, or what. You can still love them. You can still let the Word dwell in you... by letting the Word come out of you. When the Word is made flesh, that's charity--love in action. And that's how people KNOW God, whether they realize that's who they're seeing or not. And that's the best way to help someone know Him. Not shoving Jesus down people's throats and watching them choke on Him... but by doing whatsoever you do in love. Because of love. For love. Guys, I've said it before and I'll say it again: Its all about love!