Love is...
For several weeks now I have been thinking a lot about my actions, words and thoughts. I have been asking myself one very big question "Do I show God's love in my interactions with others?". That's kind of a loaded question. What does it mean to show love? what is love? I mean we Americans love our spouse, pets, even tacos. Yet I hope I show my husband a different level of love than I do tacos. I really started to think about it in the context of those I don't agree with. Those that have said or done something that I see as not right. What is my reaction then? Am I quick to ignore it, tell someone else, take it to them in a harsh way? Honestly I tend towards all of those depending on the situation but not a one of those is truly loving.
"Do or do not, there is no try."-Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back
This is perplexing to me. it's true, sometimes we say I will try, but are we really and what does that mean? Try is simply an effort to accomplish something, an attempt. So just by trying, you are doing. But is failure an option? is failing not doing? What was Yoda really saying?
I understand that I am probably putting way too much thought into a small, fictitious green character's words. Yet, I wonder does trying stop us from doing? Do we let ourselves off the hook of not doing our best, not stretching ourselves just simply by the fact that we tried.
This thought hit me in the wee hours of the morning. Once my husband woke up I hit him with my "profound" thoughts. I will admit it here and now, I am both a nerd and a geek(yes, there is a difference). However, I am not a star wars geek. I didn't see them till college, they do not hold great meaning in my life. Now that I have uttered that blasphemy, you may read on and try to convert me later.
In context of the movie, Yoda asks Luke to do something, he begrudgingly says "I will try". Which is followed by this iconic line. The truth is he had already decided that any attempts would fail. Yoda knew this would become self fulfilling, so he warned against any insincere efforts.
Failure shouldn't be feared. Deciding not to put forth true effort because of an expected outcome is worse. This isn't a whole lot different than the biblical concept that we should be hot or cold, not lukewarm. Be in or out, don't pretend though. Give 100% or none at all.
This thought brought back to mind a line from a song. "Failures are fliers who touch down, Only they know what it's like to leave the ground." This led me back to the song where another line jumped out at me. "You climbed and you fell, Hold your head up high. You tried and you failed, Hold your head up high" Failure is an option. In fact failure is a part of the process sometimes. Thomas Edison made more than 10,000 attempts at a light bulb before succeeding. "I haven't failed, I have just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Failure is progress. It is usually not the desired progress but it is forward movement.
I myself am often too scared to even try. I assume failure is inevitable if it's something even slightly out of my comfort zone and skills so I won't try. God has been pushing me to trust him and try. I am thankful that so far those attempts have not ended in gross failure. Honestly if they are God driven I doubt they can ever crash and burn as wildly as I fear. Not to say he may not let me have set backs, or stop one piece of my plan because it wasn't his; but I doubt the whole thing will come crashing down around me, because He has a plan, He simply wanted me to be a part of it.
On the flip side, by trying I am finding that I am flying. It may be "falling with style" some days, but it's all in the same arena. Even birds have to learn to fly. So my encouragement is this... if you're going to try, sincerely try. You will find yourself "doing".
The reality is that if I make an attempt to be loving I am doing just what I am supposed to and can't really fail.
So I guess where I am now is seeking to keep my words and actions in line with that long list of things that love is. There are a lot of practical ways this plays out. How I deal with difficult situations/people, how I handle opposing views (political, regarding faith, even situational), even what I post on social media. The bottom line question is "do the people around me see God's love after our interaction?" I am sure the answer isn't yes as often as it should be, but now that I see that I can work on it. So long as I keep moving forward.
This got me to thinking on 1 Corinthians 13. This is by far one of the most used wedding scriptures, but what about how it applies to those in our lives we don't really have any desire to love? What does it reveal to me about how I am living my life under the title of "christian"? " Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
LOVE NEVER FAILS!
I have to just let that sink in for a moment. If I follow God and am patient, kind, modest, not envious, humble, honoring, unselfish, even-tempered, forgiving, protective, trusting, hopeful, persevering and rejoicing in the truth; then I am showing love and love never fails! So I know that's a practical impossibility, I am human. However, God has done many great miracles, why try to say he can't do this in/through me? Not that it would be an easy task. I do have a tendency to try to take control back from God, but WOW what a goal right? The truth is I am not perfect and I never will be. My goal should always be to be more like God, and God is love, so trying to be more loving is a step in the right direction right?
The thought of trying led me back to something I wrote about 2 months ago but never hit "publish" on. As I reread it it seems to play right in with these thoughts too. (please forgive the thought-in-a-thought going on here):
This is perplexing to me. it's true, sometimes we say I will try, but are we really and what does that mean? Try is simply an effort to accomplish something, an attempt. So just by trying, you are doing. But is failure an option? is failing not doing? What was Yoda really saying?
I understand that I am probably putting way too much thought into a small, fictitious green character's words. Yet, I wonder does trying stop us from doing? Do we let ourselves off the hook of not doing our best, not stretching ourselves just simply by the fact that we tried.
This thought hit me in the wee hours of the morning. Once my husband woke up I hit him with my "profound" thoughts. I will admit it here and now, I am both a nerd and a geek(yes, there is a difference). However, I am not a star wars geek. I didn't see them till college, they do not hold great meaning in my life. Now that I have uttered that blasphemy, you may read on and try to convert me later.
In context of the movie, Yoda asks Luke to do something, he begrudgingly says "I will try". Which is followed by this iconic line. The truth is he had already decided that any attempts would fail. Yoda knew this would become self fulfilling, so he warned against any insincere efforts.
Failure shouldn't be feared. Deciding not to put forth true effort because of an expected outcome is worse. This isn't a whole lot different than the biblical concept that we should be hot or cold, not lukewarm. Be in or out, don't pretend though. Give 100% or none at all.
This thought brought back to mind a line from a song. "Failures are fliers who touch down, Only they know what it's like to leave the ground." This led me back to the song where another line jumped out at me. "You climbed and you fell, Hold your head up high. You tried and you failed, Hold your head up high" Failure is an option. In fact failure is a part of the process sometimes. Thomas Edison made more than 10,000 attempts at a light bulb before succeeding. "I haven't failed, I have just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Failure is progress. It is usually not the desired progress but it is forward movement.
I myself am often too scared to even try. I assume failure is inevitable if it's something even slightly out of my comfort zone and skills so I won't try. God has been pushing me to trust him and try. I am thankful that so far those attempts have not ended in gross failure. Honestly if they are God driven I doubt they can ever crash and burn as wildly as I fear. Not to say he may not let me have set backs, or stop one piece of my plan because it wasn't his; but I doubt the whole thing will come crashing down around me, because He has a plan, He simply wanted me to be a part of it.
On the flip side, by trying I am finding that I am flying. It may be "falling with style" some days, but it's all in the same arena. Even birds have to learn to fly. So my encouragement is this... if you're going to try, sincerely try. You will find yourself "doing".
The reality is that if I make an attempt to be loving I am doing just what I am supposed to and can't really fail.
So I guess where I am now is seeking to keep my words and actions in line with that long list of things that love is. There are a lot of practical ways this plays out. How I deal with difficult situations/people, how I handle opposing views (political, regarding faith, even situational), even what I post on social media. The bottom line question is "do the people around me see God's love after our interaction?" I am sure the answer isn't yes as often as it should be, but now that I see that I can work on it. So long as I keep moving forward.
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