Learning to love ...

Ephesians 5:1-2 says, "Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. LOVE LIKE THAT."

For the last three years, the idea that "they will know we are Christians by our love" has been somewhat haunting. We talk about what will change the world, and I don't think it's gonna be our books, our debates, our churches or our coffee. The only thing that makes the world stop and wonder is when we love the way HE does! When we shock people by not being who they expect us to be, when we take the time for what really is just common courtesy but has become unexpected. Loving like that is amazing. There are so many instances when I have been the grateful recipient of that Jesus kind of love and sweet times when I've been the thankful giver of that love ... but I am finding that loving like that ALL the time ... well, that's when it gets tough!

I recently read a book by Frances Chan called Crazy Love that explores some of what this looks like in our lives when we DO love like that. We can't love people in that crazy, wonderful way until we love God like that!

I am in process of learning to do that. This is my journey: the successes, the failures, the lessons, the love.