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“LOVE IS LIKE A BOOMERANG”
Sometimes, when I write these
articles, the words come faster than my fingers can type. This is not one of
those times. Today it’s like an engine with a worn block…I’ll be writing
along and all of a sudden, it cuts out and I lose power. Then it’s time to
say a prayer and start over. I’ve started over…again.
In our society, February is “The
Luuuuvvv Month.” I had all these “cutsie,” clever things I was writing
about, but as I reread them, it didn’t feel right. I prayed and asked God
what to do and He lead me to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th
chapters in the book of I John. These words are full of what to love, what
not to love, who to love, how to love and where love comes from. As I read
these words, all my “cutsie” ideas seem shallow.
I began to realize that if I
take to heart what God’s Word says, my life will reflect His love so much
better than all of my best intentions could ever muster. For instance, I
John 2:15 says, “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If
anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that
is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the
boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. And
the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will
of God abides forever.”
I John 3:16-18 “We know
love by this, that He (Jesus) laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay
down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world’s goods and
beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the
love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with
tongue, but in deed and truth.”
I John 4:9-11 “By this
the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son
into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that
we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation
(appeasing or conciliation) for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we
also ought to love one another.”
This is the real thing! That
is what I love about God’s Word; if you are unclear about what you’re
reading, just read more Scripture and it will explain itself. People who
argue the point that Scripture is just a matter of man’s own interpretation,
haven’t read enough Scripture. Through the help of God’s Holy Spirit, you
will get to know the real character of God and what His Word means.
Okay; so what does a
boomerang have to do with it? Simple. When you throw a boomerang, it comes
back. When you give love away, it comes back to you. I’m not just talking
romantic love, although that’s included. I’m talking about relationships of
all kinds. If you give respect, you’ll earn respect, if you give mercy,
you’ll receive mercy, if you give a smile, you’ll get smiles, if you give
criticism, you’ll be criticized, and so on and so forth.
Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and
it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together,
running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure
it will be measured to you in return.” Even in the Lord’s Prayer it
says, “…and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass
against us.” It’s called “the law of reciprocity.”
Back in the 70’s, our local
newspaper carried a cartoon called, “Love Is…” There were 2
characters that looked a lot like little “Precious Moments” dolls that always
had love sayings, i.e. “Love is…Not having to say it because she knows
it.” There was a 70’s movie called “Love Story” where Ali McGraw
says with the deepest dramatic conviction, “Love means never having to say
you’re sorry.” Unfortunately, our 70’s generation took to those
philosophies as if they came straight from the Bible. They couldn’t be
farther from Biblical truth. This kind of love is more like a Frisbee
instead of a boomerang; throw it and it can go right over someone’s head, hit
the ground, circling out of control.
We’ve all heard of those
relationship tests magazines like “Cosmopolitan” give. Here’s one
from the Bible. See if you think you have this “Love” issue under control.
The check list is from I Corinthians 13:4-7. Give some thought to each item
and see if you practice these things in your relationships:
_____“Love is patient,
_____love
is kind,
_____and
is not jealous;
_____love
does not brag
_____and
is not arrogant,
_____does
not act unbecomingly;
_____it
does not seek its own,
_____is
not provoked,
_____does
not take into account a wrong suffered,
_____does
not rejoice in unrighteousness,
_____but
rejoices with the truth;
_____bears all things
_____believes all things
_____hopes all things,
_____endures all things.
Love never fails!
Phew! That’s a lifetime
project list! If you stop and take a moment in personal reflection with each
item, it won’t take long to see areas that need improvement. Personally,
it’s a little overwhelming, but I have good news! Scriptures say we don’t
have to do this on our own. I John 4:16-17 “And we have come to know and
have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who
abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is
perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment;
because as He is, so also are we in this world.”
Hallmark may consider
February “The Love Month,” but love is a daily, no, a moment-to-moment
decision. To love as Christ loved us, and gave His life for us, is the only
true and pure love … and the only way to that love is by believing in Him.
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear…” I John
4:18a. Then, as you give God’s love to others, it will come back to you.
Many people reading this
today have never experienced a true and pure love. Take one more moment to
receive the gift of God’s true love, Jesus Christ, and ask Him to wash away
the wrong experiences in your life, replacing them with His new, pure and
perfect love; the kind that compelled Jesus to get back up after His beatings
and carry his cross to Calvary. He loves you!
Linda Smiley
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