Loving Truly

Roses are my favorite flower.  But one thing about them, as beautiful as they are, is that they always, without fail, have thorns.  I suppose they are kind of like us.  We all have a beautiful side, but also a side that is not beautiful at all.  But that ugly side is just as real as the beautiful.  Now, in Christ we are growing and being sanctified each day, thus we should see more holiness and love in each of our lives.  But that does not erase the fact that we are sinful, fallen creatures.  That is why we need the Savior.  We have a choice in dealing with each other.  Everyone likes to see the beautiful side of people, and that’s usually the side that we do see at first.  But at some point we’re going to see some not to pretty things in each other.  We will see inconsistency, lack of love, imperfect performance, sin.  Now here is where the choice comes.  We can choose to walk away because we don’t like to see those things in people.  After all, why would you put up with that when you could just go be with someone who always looks good, right?  We can just jump from one shallow relationship to another without ever having to learn to truly love people.  But that’s just not reality.  It’s not biblical.  It’s easy to love the lovely, but we all know that we aren’t always lovely.  We fail, sometimes badly.  It is in those moments when we must choose to love with Christ-like love.  Christ loved us while we were yet sinners, when we still hated Him and were completely walking in sin.  He saved us and continues to pour out His grace and love upon us, even as we fail.  If we cannot love each other like this, then what do we really know about the love of Christ?  He who has been forgiven much loves much.  If we aren’t very forgiving, maybe we should take a closer look at ourselves.  You can’t really love someone for who they are until you see their faults, their failures, their bad side.  It’s easy to love the lovely, but can we love truly?  Love is a powerful thing and can have a great influence over people.  But it is also sometimes not reciprocated.  In those times we must just continue to love as Christ loves us.  Ours is to obey, the results are up to God.  If we are to be representatives of Christ, then we must love as He loves.  We must love unconditionally.  We must love truly.  Because we are all equally in need of the unconditional, true love and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

 “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”  - 1 John 3:18

 ~Brittany

Seeing someone’s faults allows you to love them more truly.

~Brittany

True Love

“Love is not first a feeling. Though the feelings come later and grow thick in the basic loam of love, they don't constitute the sum and substance of love. Love is doing whatever good God says you must do for another, to please God, whether (at first) it pleases you or not. You must do so because He says so; and you don't wait until you feel like doing so. Love begins with obedience toward God in which one gives to another whatever the other needs. Love is not a gooey, sticky sentimental thing; it is hard to love. Often it hurts to love. Love meant going to the cross through the garden of Gethsemane. Christ did not feel like dying for your sins, Christian, but He did so nonetheless. The Scriptures teach that he endured the cross while focusing on the subsequent joy that it would bring.” ― Jay Adams

Photo from http://distractify.com/people/dad-dresses-up-daughter-for-famous-art-portraits/

~Brittany 

Scowling at the Angel~ A precious and inspiring story about true love and grace

Whether you're married or not, this story is so inspiring to have true love and to have Christ-like grace.  Though a little longer, it is well worth the read!

Scowling at the Angel

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." —Galatians 5:22-23

We sat together, just the two of us. The sun would be coming up any minute. We didn't say much. We couldn't. We were on the verge of bursting into tears, but neither did. What we did say was mostly of a lighthearted nature.

It was our 18th anniversary.

"In sickness and health," I joked.

"Yeah, well," she said, "it's only fair. You stuck with me through four labors and deliveries. It's the least I can do."

A man wearing black scrubs and carrying a clipboard entered the waiting area and barked, "Ramsey. Ramsey."

Together we stood and made our way to the shouting man who led us to the elevator.

"I'll be right out here," my wife said. "I'll see you just as soon as they're done."

I squeezed her hand, gave her a kiss, handed her my wedding ring, and then stepped into the elevator as it closed and carried me up and away.