Love Like Christ Loves

Yesterday, I received some encouragement from a friend. "You are so wonderful and worthy of being with a person who only wants to be dating you! Also, in my life I have really grown in this time of being single- it hasn't even been that long, but it's the longest I have ever gone without a boyfriend (really more than 2 months would have been the longest) and it sounds scary but has been such a blessing for me. I know I am rambling, but I believe God has the perfect person for us to marry, and I pray that my husband is out there growing up into a leader and amazing man while God is working in my life to prepare me to meet him. I know for me this means a little while of being single so I can be ready for the Right Guy. Anyway, that's just my little story but I am crazy about you and support you and wanted to tell you a tale..."



What a word of encouragement.  But at the same time, I hope I am growing in faithfulness to be an amazing woman for that man.  I did so many things wrong in my last relationship.  Neither of us showed respect to each other, which on my part is awful because I know I respect him as a person.

God expects but one thing of you, and that is that you... let God be God in you. Meister Eckhart

God created this perfect image of families.  But if you were to look at modern families you would see that the design doesn't always work.  The problem is not with God or His design.  The problem is that individual family members don't always operate according to God's love and principles.  His intent is that we function for the sake of other members:
* the husband is to love his wife
* the wife is to respect her husband
* the parents are to care for their children
* the children are to honor their parents

Why doesn't that always work?  Because we are sinful people.. The simple solution would be to Honor God.  That is what He expects out of each of us.  By honoring God by what you do and say, you'll be a positive influence in your family.  You can't change the attitudes of other family members and you're not responsible for it.  Just infuse them with Godly character.  
This can be difficult, but God's principles are not conditioned on the behaviors of others.  Which means:
* the husband is to love his wife, even if she is ill-tempered
* the wife is to respect her husband, even if he is lazy and inattentive
* the parents are to care for their children, even if they are unappreciative and disobedient; and
* the children are to honor their parents, even if they are unfair and restrictive.

So Love when you don't feel like it.  Love when you aren't loved back.  Love when it appears there is no hope of reconciliation.  You will be Honoring God.  

We have control over our actions and attitudes.  Trust the results to God.


(excerpts out of God is in the Tough Stuff)


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