“Make the most of every moment”.
This month I have been reading a book called, “Love Does” by Bob Goff. It is an easy read, a fun, light-hearted book about funny, extravagant moments in his life when he put in his all. If you haven’t heard of this book, read it. If you have heard of it but never decided to read it, then decide to read it. He uses these great stories to present Biblical truths and talk about the way that God wants to love us and live with us. Throughout reading this book I have come to a new perspective on life. Love doesn’t just think, talk or feel, LOVE DOES. Throughout the book, Bob constantly shows how much he loves people and believes in them by standing with them, saying yes to crazy ideas and going to extreme lengths to not only bless them but to also make their dreams come true. When we love as God has asked us to love then we will be DOING. We won’t just be spinning together strings of words to describe what we feel. We won’t only be writing letters and notes. We won’t be sitting on the sidelines and thinking about people and life. Love DOES things. Love is an ACTION. In the Bible, Jesus is constantly DOING. Jesus not only tells people that he loves them, he shows them his love through actions. Jesus shows his love in physical ways by serving people and blessing them. We can use words as much as we want but real, true love DOES THINGS!
Love does not mean that we only love in the big moments. Every little moment in life is a moment when we can love, a moment to make count. The Race has taught me to make any little moment count. On those days when ministry means you are going to be playing with the kids in the blazing sun and you are already so tired; find the smile on one little face and remember how much they love to play. When you are teaching class that morning and it seems that none of them are learning anything; change your strategy until you see those light bulbs turn on. Swimming in the Zambezi river with little, naked Zambian kids; let them climb all over you, splash you and watch the joy on their faces light up your world. On the day ministry involves painting a few ceilings and the paint is getting all over the floor and your face; laugh with your teammates and get to know your contact. When the children start to have a dance party; join in and try your best African moves, they will love you no matter how you look. I promise you will see life through new eyes if you open them to see the love and extravagant beauty in the everyday.
The point is, when you love to the best of your ability and let God give you the strength to love as He can, each moment is a joy, an experience; wonder filled. Life becomes a vibrant adventure when we embrace each moment and opportunity. Love DOES. Loving fully at all times creates a life truly worth living, a life that is so much more then existing. When you begin to see every single person as a person to love, and every moment as an opportunity to live extravagantly, you see those people and moments as God sees them. And that my friends, is a crazy, amazing life. We aren’t action heroes and we don’t have supper powers. We have something better, we have LOVE. And love DOES.
