Be-Cast Episode 18: BE LOVING
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THIS WEEK’S VERSES:
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-6)
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’” (Matthew 5:43-44)
“’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.’” (Mark 12:30-31)
“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:8)
A MESSAGE FROM SARA:
When we first looked at this week, the word we chose was non-judgmental. But our heart is to talk more about how to BE and less about how not to BE. The premise of the week is this – stop judging the world around you. Living like that will wear you out. Trust me, I’ve been there. And so we searched for a different word that could fill in the gap. My wonderful friends helped us brainstorm and the idea of Be Loving was birthed. I couldn’t believe we hadn’t even done Be Loving yet…how could we not have already thought of it?! God knew this was the perfect week though, and so it was.
After completing the recording for Be Loving, I realized we should have made it a two-week podcast. It’s crazy that we are just now talking about Love when really it is the core or foundation for all of what BE is, because it is the core of who God is. Breaking down I Corinthians 13:1-6 and actually looking at each word – well, let’s just say we ended up having a lot to talk about. I am convinced that most of us don’t really know the true meaning of Christ’s love; instead we equate it with feelings, emotions and often we only give it if we think it is deserved or earned.
What is God’s love? What kind of love did Christ show? There are four different kinds of love as defined by the Greeks. They are:
- Agape: Agape is selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love, the highest of the four types of love in the Bible. It is a choice love not an emotional love. It is an act of will that starts in the brain.
- Phileo: a platonic love; a love between friends
- Eros: a passionate love, romantic love. It is an emotional/feeling love. It is the root of feeling in love.
- Storage: affection; love for family.
I would dare to say that most of us don’t even realize that love is a choice in the mind. Sure, Phileo, Eros and Storage often have an emotion or a feeling attached to it making us very aware of its presence, but agape? No, sometimes we have to fight our fleshly feelings and choose to love beyond how we feel. This is the kind of love that moved God to allow His Son to die on a cross a horrible death just so we might have eternal life. This is the kind of love that allowed Christ to bear that horrible death. Their love for us is so unconditional, so pure. It is the most sacrificial kind of love anyone could imagine.
When we allow that kind of love to flow through us, it makes BEING the way God has called us to be so much easier. We are allowing the love of Christ to flow through us and pour out onto the world around us. If Christ, who gave His life, can love freely and without judgment – then surely we can do the same.
We must dare as Women of God to stop the war on gossip, being judgmental, provoking, discord, ugliness and instead put on the most wonderful display of agape love:
- Stop judging the world around you and perhaps you will stop judging yourself.
- Stop pointing your finger at others and you no longer have three fingers pointing back at yourself.
- Welcome a change of mind and a change of heart in your life and perhaps you too will experience the true freedom of Agape Love.
Loving others is not a suggestion of God…it is a commandment. And it is the greatest commandment at that. Be strong enough to realize your need to obey, humble enough to admit your need for help from God, and committed enough to change. Together God can change the world through us if we will but love one person at a time.
READY MADE TWEETS (just click to tweet):
Sometimes we have to fight our fleshly feelings and choose to love beyond how we feel.
Agape love is an act of will that starts in the mind.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
1. Go through the descriptions of what love is not and pick a word or two that really has grabbed you this week. Then write the opposite of what it is and remind yourself daily in order to begin transforming your mind. You can write it down in dry erase on your mirror or on an index card. Place it where you can see it often. (For example, love does not dishonor others, but is kind.)
2. Allow yourself to reflect on each of the descriptions of love and ask yourself if you are living out love.
DOWNLOADS:
Download the printable, phone wallpaper and Instagram/Pinterest pic here!
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
1. Love Beyond Reason: Moving God’s Love from Your Head to Your Heart by John Ortberg. “God loves you not because you are flawless, not because you are a perfect person, but just because you are.” Such power and truth in just the first sentence of the description!
2. Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan. Listen, Francis Chan is amazing but also very truthful. Read this book and be forever changed, but don’t be offended!
3. Tolerance Isn’t a Four Letter Word. Beautiful article from Relevant Magazine.
4. Don’t Judge a Woman Until You’ve Ridden a Mile on Her Bike. Beautiful article about displaying love and withholding judgment.
5. The Real Meaning of Unconditional Love. So the article starts right off the bat with this: “If I am unloving or disrespectful, it is not because of certain circumstances caused by others that make me react unlovingly or disrespectfully. I choose to be harsh, independent of the circumstances.” Ouch. Such good stuff, read on!