Love.
I think love can look like so many different things but a few weeks ago I was brought to Job 29:11-17 and love was what I thought of.
This is Job's description of himself:
“Whoever heard of me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended me, because I rescued the poor who cried for help and the fatherless who had none to assist him. The man who was dying blessed me; I made the widow's heart sing. I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice as my robe and my turban. I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger. I broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the victims from their teeth.”
Job 29:11-17
And we all know what God thought about Job… This is God's reply to satan:
“Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”
I don't believe Job to be a man who boasts. I don't see Job as prideful.
When you read these verses you realize Job acted out Love.
He was feet for the lame. He was eyes to the blind. He brought joy to widows.
Job was fully confident in the man that he was… Blameless.
Job can list those things because it was his way of life. A lifestyle.
If Job is fully capable of it I know we are.
A few nights ago I was laying in my bed it was about 2 am and I was listening to a sermon. I turned off my iPod and tears flooded my face.
Conviction.
Conviction for not living out these verses in Job and conviction for not seeking God's face to help me.
When I was thinking about Cambodia I realized that this was going to be a place of redemption.
We get another chance to be in another foreign country and bring joy to the widow, be feet to the lame, and eyes to the blind. Another chance to ask God to teach us.
I realized that this was another opportunity to “practice.”
Another opportunity to practice this lifestyle that Job speaks of.
Because what I've learned is that I am not a natural lover. It takes practice and that looks like me calling out to Papa God everyday asking Him to teach me how to love like Jesus. Practicing keeping our eyes fixed on the cross and asking Him,“who I can love for You today?”
We have to realize that this lifestyle of Job's didn't come naturally to him. He was human just like us. He needed help from God just like us. We can't just give up. We can't just quit. We have to seek the help of God.
With that said, quit trying to do it yourself. Quit thinking you can just wake up and be ready to love everyone. I have tried and it doesn't work. It's not possible. The only way it's possible is by calling out to our Creator.
He knows something we don't. We can't do it on our own. If we try to do it on our own we will end up frustrated and tired.
It's time we confess to Him that we need His help in this because there are so many people where you are and where I am who don't need our conditional love but are hungry for His unconditional love. The most important thing we can do in our lives is seek God. In seeking Him, He will turn us to love the one in front of us.
“There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread, but there are many more dying for a little love.” ~Mother Teresa~
