Called to Love

I've been doing a great deal of thinking about friendship. And, what does God really have in mind when He tells us that we need to love one another!

I have a close friend who is going through a very difficult time. She loves God, but is married to a person who does NOT! So, that's an issue between them...but more than that...he has chosen to be very unkind to her. I'm not pointing the finger or drawing conclusions about his beliefs vs. her beliefs. Love is a DECISION! We choose to love and there have been many times in my life when I've chosen to not love, because of my selfishness.

So, I think that it all boils down to this. I have a duty, an obligation, a responsibility, but more than that, the privilege to stand beside my friend through this hard time because she is a sister in the Body of Christ. Jesus told us to love members of His family fervently.

What I find so interesting is that often times, members of God's family are not necessarily people that I would choose to "hang out with." I don't always have much in common with them...they may come from completely different backgrounds than I do. They believe differently about what "church" should look like, they don't always respond like Jesus (nor do I), etc. etc., and yet, I'm told to love fervently!

I'm not told to straighten everyone out (according to my standards) or to be judgmental or critical, but to love! I think this takes practice. And discipline. And realization that I must choose to love--that I won't always feel like it. And acknowledgment that I can not do this without God's intervention.

So, guess what God is having me do? I'm out here at the airport and am being directed (in my heart) to serve and help my husband. I would much rather be home--cleaning up the house, starting another painting project, making crafts, etc.

Instead, Travis needed help yesterday with spraying weed killer behind him as he weed whacked. It was stinky, hot, heavy to carry the apparatus for spraying and I did NOT want to do it. But, that little voice came into my head and said, "Are you going to choose to love or will you make this hard on one of the members of God's family?"

I started spraying and little by little, I began to enjoy being outside! Then, Travis had to go fly with a student and the thoughts buzzed around in my head, "Oh sure! He leaves you to do the dirty work!" But, other softer thoughts said, "You are being a help to him! You are loving him by lifting the load."

Within a very short period of time, the job was finished. Are there still hours of spraying and weed whacking ahead? Yes! Hours of mowing, etc? Yes! Will it all end? Yes, when the cold weather sets in. But, I am being disciplined through this experience to learn what it means to be a servant and how to love more like God loves us!

My friend? I'm walking with her through this time...praying for her and her husband, trying not to be critical and bad-tempered towards him. And Travis? I'm trying to remember that yes, he's my husband, but most of all, he's another member of God's family and I've been called to LOVE!