“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?
Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment.
A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” //Matthew 22: 36-40//
All the Old Testament laws come down to this…LOVE. That’s basically the only commandment we as Jesus followers have. Seems simple enough.
But what is love really? And how do we do it? God has been teaching me so much about love the past couple of months, and especially during my time in Thailand. Since memorizing 1 Corinthians 13 while in Cambodia, God has been opening my eyes to what love is and what it isn’t.
//1 Corinthians 13//
“…Love is patient and kind.
It is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.
It does not demand its own way.
It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.
It does not rejoice about injustice, but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance…”
It’s dying to yourself.
It’s a daily choice to put another’s needs above your own.
It’s choosing to give of your time and resources.
It’s complete sacrifice.
It’s simple, but difficult to do because of our selfish nature.
With all the talk about going home in 2 months, I can’t help but reflect on how I will love others when I get home, and how I loved people before I left the states.
Honesty time & side note—The United States seems so foreign now after being gone for 9 months. Constantly traveling, sleeping in weird places, vulnerability, cold showers, wearing the same outfits day after day, no 9-5 schedule, never knowing what to expect when I wake up…these are the new normal now for me. Can you be in prayer for me as God prepares my heart to go home, and all the changes that will bring? My emotions are on a roller coaster about going home, but deep down I’m extremely eager to see my family and friends, and to dive into the next chapter of my life.
As of right now, God has given me peace about going back to Point to live for the next year so I can be around for my brother’s senior year of high school. I’m really excited for this, because I was fearful God was going to call me back to one of the countries I visited to live and teach (that’s a whole different topic that I’ll have to cover another time haha), and I’m not saying that won’t happen in the future…but for the next year, I plan to share what I’ve learned on the Race and spread His love to Point Pleasant, which I know is a place that desperately needs Him.
Anyways, something God has revealed to me about love is through conversation. Loving people by conversing with them. Listening to them. Meeting them in their mess and offering encouragement to them. We won’t always have the words to say depending on the situation, but we can always listen. That’s why God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth…to love people well by listening to them.
I’m going to love people when I get home. Really love them.
John 3:16– For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
God gave His only Son, Jesus, to us out of love…surely I can slow down in Walmart and have a conversation with someone about their day. Surely I can talk to someone after church instead of rushing out to go to lunch. Surely I can invite someone over to my house for coffee instead of being selfish with my time.
Not the generic “Hi, how are you?” while continuing to walk and not giving a crap how they’re actually doing.
When I get home and I ask you how you’re doing, I really want to know. I’ve lived in close community with at least 5 other people since September, and we have been vulnerable with each other on a daily basis…we’ve been honest and true. We’ve taken off the mask and allowed each other to see us for who we really are.
Our bad days, our struggles, our battles…we share this type of stuff…the hard stuff. Back in the states, I tried to hide it when I was having a rough day or struggling with sin. I didn’t want to bring anyone into the struggle with me because I thought I could handle it on my own and I didn’t want to burden anyone with my junk.
I’ve learned that’s the worst possible thing you can do…stuff your emotions and struggles. You begin to think your struggles define you…You begin to see yourself as a sinner who struggles to love God instead of a lover of God who struggles with sin. If you speak out those struggles to someone who actually cares, it no longer has any power over you, and you can walk in the Light of being God’s child.
Once I get home, if you ask me how I’m doing, expect an honest answer. This could mean tears, laughs, or maybe both. Maybe embarrassment, maybe anger, maybe excitement, maybe sadness. I might have a lot to say, or I might only have a little. I’ve cried more the past nine months than I ever have, but there’s something beautiful about tears to me…knowing the Creator of the universe keeps all my tears in a jar and treasures them.
Live full of love, so that when it’s your time to go, you can die empty…knowing that you utilized all the resources, time, and gifts that the Lord blessed you with to serve others and build His Kingdom. Slow down to love people…you can’t love them when you’re in a hurry.
Remember that tomorrow isn’t promised.
LFDE- Live Full, Die Empty
Father, thank You for teaching me so much about love throughout my time on the World Race, and especially through the girls at the orphanage in Thailand. Please continue to teach me how to love others with the real, selfless love that you’ve demonstrated to us throughout Your Word. I pray everyone who reads this blog is blessed with an abundance of love and peace and joy today. Please teach us how to love those who are difficult to love, and how to love our enemies. I pray you reveal to us the hidden sins lurking in our hearts that are holding us back from loving You and loving others well. Thank You for being such a good, good Father who only wants the best for us. Love, Your daughter, Rachel
