Monday, June 23, 2014

The Truth About Love: Insisting on Your Own Way

     In my first article in this series, I mentioned how 1 Corinthians 13:5 talks about how we should not insist on our own way, and then I went on to say that love insists on God's way. Today, I will be talking about that.

     In my previous article I talked about brotherly love, and sometimes we have to shake the dust off of our feet and continue on. However, before we give up we have to start, and today I am going to be telling you all about starting because not all friendships have to end. Some friendships can continue on as you teach others and grow along with them. After all, as we can see in 1 Timothy 1:9, the law is not for those who follow it, but who don't. This isn't telling us that those who are Christians don't need to study, but that those who are imperfect do, and honestly I have never met a single person in my entire life who was perfect. We need to spread God's word to those who don't know it.

     There is a big difference between God and man. God is perfect while man is imperfect. God is the Creator, we are the created. As humans, we tend to have a will of our own and what we want to do is what we want to do. Unlike God's, our will is imperfect. What we want to do is selfish and about us, while God is perfect and dwells on love and forgiveness. If we are going to teach and love others, we cannot insist on our way, we have to insist on God's. After all, isn't that what love is? Teaching others about God and helping them reach the heavenly goal? It's okay to be opinionated. It's okay to speak up against someone (in a loving way) and it's okay to tell someone your unpersuadable beliefs because that is exactly what we as Christians ought to do. However, we cannot insist on our way, but on God's. We cannot become opinionated on something just because we like the sound of it, or the effects it has. If it is not in line with what God says, then it is irrelevant. The only thing that we need to be insistent on is God's way. We need to teach others with such enthusiasm that they will listen because no one is going to listen to someone who doesn't care what they are talking about.

     Now, obviously, as women we can't teach men or get up into a pulpit and preach to the mountain tops, but we can talk to our friends. We can always study with someone, or teach at ladies days or at least just invite them to church but if you have a personal connection with someone, it is your job, not the job of your preacher or the elders or your parents, but it is your job as a Christian to help that person towards heaven. Clearly there's nothing wrong with asking for help but when you have a personal connection with someone, are you more likely to listen to them or a perfect stranger? This is also why we need to study: so we can always be prepared to answer any questions someone may have for us, and if we don't have the answer then go home and study it. It's our responsibility as Christians to help those around us reach heaven and to always insist on God's way. It's okay to ask someone not to cuss in front of you because that's not insisting on your way but on God's way. It's okay to tell someone that you can't go to that movie or to that party because you know it's no good because that's not insisting on your way but on God's way. We have to insist on God's way if we want to be a good influence and lead others to heaven.

     Today I would like to encourage all of you to think about your actions, and to always insist on God's way, not your own. Today I would like to encourage you all to stand up for what's right because we cannot insist on our way if we want to help others because our way is imperfect. I would also like to encourage all of you to read and study this on your own, along with anything else you read or hear.