As I was preparing for my Sunday school lesson for today with a Valentine's Day theme, I was reminded how much Jesus loves the little one's. It got me to thinking...
It is easy to love God's little children, for they have had not the time to become corrupted. They do not understand the separation from God as you and I do. They are still naive, pure, innocent, and naturally close to God. They just brighten your day.
The world has created every one of us to change from when we were little children. Things like the environment for which we live, lack of values or integrity taught, and the void left from worldly things that never fulfill our spirit. Even we as parents persuade our children to believe what we do and we don't even know how much rubs off on them until sometimes they are grown.
We were all little one's once and are reminded in the Bible that we ought to come to Jesus as if little children. Our hearts need be like theirs; honest, selfless, and sincere.
But to find love as naturally for those that do not have these qualities, now that is a something a little more for me to work on. I get insecure of their behavior, thoughts, or attitudes. I do not trust their motives. I tend to make bad choices when I interact with them and am left with the aftermath of frustration that I allowed them to influence me. The enemy knows this about me. He knows that I forget in only moments of what the Bible verse in Corinthians says about bad company corrupting good morals. But how can I love someone if I don't "like" them? Or better yet, how do I show someone I love them if being around them is too risky for my growing in Christianity? Am I alone in this feeling?
I think of the example of when Jesus just sat with the tax collector. He just sat and spent time with this man who knew he was a sinful man. How come I can't be like that? Why can't I simply spend time with people and just enjoy to be around them and not allow myself to be persuaded or influenced by them? Why does it seem like I am not allowing my light God has given me to influence them instead as Jesus did?
It then occurs to me as I write this that Jesus had the full armor of God.
I have been reading Proverbs these past few weeks and have learned a great deal of wisdom and taking heed about flattery, deceitfulness, and strife and what things can separate close friends. But so far I have not learned much about love. Should I skip to a different book? No, God instructs me to remain right where I am so as to discern my path first; something I never knew I could discern. My path has always just been to follow whatever came along, I never really understood what it meant by keeping it "straight" or that I had any say in doing so. Reading God's Word shows me the way to refrain from influential things in this world. I am still building my armor. I think ultimately learning to love they way Jesus did will be the end result once the armor is built and strong.
And all the while I try to comprehend His love for me, I still have not learned to love at all and He is okay with this. Like Proverbs says having the sincere desire and consistent seeking is what He wants from me. I pray for Him to continually teach me. It is unfathomable of the love He has for me let alone everyone of this world...deep down we are all like children, those little one's Jesus loves. I need to remember what it felt like when I was a child and come to Jesus in that way...I need to do this more often and learning to Love will come...as long as I continue to seek.
I read somewhere that it is easier to love than it is to hate, so why do I struggle with love? I find that I must first build my armor and follow His example of love. I can only do this by getting in the Word and I need to be patient with myself. Take note of the first three words in this verse:
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud."
Corinthians 13:4
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