No Love. No Gain.

Yes...Louis did good on Valentine's Day with Balloons, Cards, Roses and all other kinds of goodies!!!

As you can see in my tag line, Miss Marti’s House…loving God and others in Southern Barton Heights….  I have been thinking about that lately…what does that REALLY mean?  Jesus tells us in the New Testament…to love God with all your heart, soul, strength.  He also then tells us…to love your neighbor as yourself.  So, what does that really look like?  To love like that?

So…I read 1st Corinthians 13 and was struck by verse 3.

³If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,but have not love, I gain nothing.

So…I could be doing all this work…sacrificing my time and money, my hopes and dreams…but, if I am not doing it in love…why do it?  So, how often do I respond to those ads on TV or causes on FB because I feel guilty?  How often do I do something for a friend or family because I am shamed into it? Or…when I strike a check to the local non-profit why does that make me feel better. But…if we are doing this out of guilt, shame or obligation…we may feel a little better in the short run….but, God sees straight through to our heart…our motives.  If I do this without LOVE….it’s nothing.  Don’t get me wrong…I’m not challenging us to stop giving!!!!  I’m challenging us to GIVE MORE!!!! because we respond with LOVE while giving.  Let’s take a look at the rest of the scripture….

⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸Love never fails…..

Not long ago, Louis and I were challenged by reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan.  Francis challenges the reader to replace your name where the word LOVE appears in this part of the scripture.  So, I would say…

“Marti is patient….” OUCH!!!!  Anyone who knows me…knows that patience is a challenge for me!!!   Louis agrees with me here!  Because he has the patience of Job….He is a positively fabulous role model for me!

“Marti is kind…”  Well, I’m basically a kind person.  But, there are times that I am NOT AT ALL kind!  More than likely, my thoughts are NOT exactly kind at all.  You might not see it…but, God knows my thoughts!  OUCH!!!!

Then…keep reading it….Marti does not….envy (ow!), never… boastful (pain!), proud (burn!), rude (yee-OW!), self-seeking  (not me!), not easily angered (ache!), keeps no records of wrongs (who me?), etc. etc.

I’m gonna challenge you like Francis Chan challenged us….Read this scripture, replacing your name….see what hits you!

So…should I change my tag line to TRYING to love God and others?  Nah…I don’t think so.  I’m doing the best I can right now.  I am loving God and others…and I am learning how to love more….every day.

I’m a work in progress…moving TOWARD Christ…the ultimate lover.