Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
1 John 4:7
My love is being tested.
On our Wednesday afternoon rotations, we knock on a door in the public-housing complex, announce we have a meal, and chat in the hallway for a few minutes.
But one apartment is particularly tough. Because, well, it is particularly foul. #521 (not the real number) belongs to Darryl (not his real name).
He calls us in. We set the dinner on the counter. Roaches scatter. Smells overwhelm.
And Darryl just sits in the corner. Every week, same spot. He mumbles thanks and that’s it.
So each week, I dread the entry, hold my breath, and pray for grace.
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:8
I have a hard time loving Darryl. [Read more about Darryl here.]
But if I can’t love the least of these, can I say I love God?
It doesn’t start with us, I know that. We don’t initiate love. God initiates love. Through Jesus. Every time. Every day. For every person.
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:9-10
Not only does God love, God is love. I can’t fully grasp it.
But instead of knocking it around in my mind, going nowhere, I have to knock on a door and step inside.
The past few months I set new goals:
- Knock on #521
- Give a genuine smile
- Engage in conversation with Darryl
I don’t need to just talk about love, to study love, to pray about love . . . I need to do love.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1 John 4:11
If God abides in us, if Love abides in us, anything is possible, right?
Week after week, Darryl and I slowly engage. I ask a question; he gives a short answer.
Then he talks a little more. And then he shares about his past. And now he’s laughing and story-telling and making our visits enjoyable.
Last Wednesday, not only do I notice how much he talks now—would he talk an hour if we could stay?—but I also notice something else new.
No roaches. Less clutter. And the odor is gone.
I haven’t seen God in person (not yet anyway). But I know I’ve seen God in a person. I see Him on Wednesday afternoons in #521. He meets me there when I knock on the door. And we engage in conversation.
No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
1 John 4:12
It’s not because we love God so much that things change.
It’s because God loves us so much.
- Despite our filth, He cleans us up.
- In our shallowness, He digs deeper.
- Out of our fears, He creates friendships.
If God can love us at our worst, we can pursue love for each other with our best. Because in those moments when we do, “God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love!” (1 John 4:12 Msg)
TO DO THIS WEEK:
- PRAY
Prepare your heart before you read. Ask God to speak life through His words, to give you fresh insights, to tear down any walls. - READ TWICE
First, receive God’s love for you as you read through 1 John 4:7-12. Then, read it again, listening for a specific person or situation you can pour that love back into. - PLAN
Brainstorm practical ways you can love this person. Make a phone call? Send an encouraging email? Invite to dinner? Take a small gift? Do an act of service? Just smile and say hello? No act of love is too small. - ACT
Do it. Go make God’s love manifest in your world.
Is there a difficult person you’re called to love in your life?
Have you made progress?
What more can you do?
Please share in the comments.
Beautiful challenge you issue here, Lisa. Glad I followed the bread crumbs from the Thought Provoking Thursday linkup. Now, I’m off to go DO love!
Thanks, Liz. May you be blessed today as you go off to be a blessing to someone else!
I love it – “no act of love is too small.” Often I’ve been looking for the big things to do, and then think, “I’m not there yet.” But a small act of love? I can do that.
Yes, Jerralea! I think we all do that–look for those *big* things–and overlook the value of the small. I’d rather have someone do a small loving act for me every day than one big thing once a year. :)
What a powerful story of how the Lord has worked in your heart and life about love because of how He used Daryl to teach you. Then He used you to begin to change Daryl’s life. You are truly Jesus to him. LOVE this story!
Pam
Thanks, Pam. It amazes me at how much the Lord uses other people to help *us* when we think He’s using us to help other people. :) He’s very good and very smart like that!
Hi Lisa,
Is this a new blog you’re starting? Thanks for your honesty.
Jennifer Dougan
http://www.jenniferdougan.com
No, Jennifer, not a new blog. I’m just one of the contributing writers here at Do Not Depart, a home away from home. :)
Lisa, what an encouraging post! It gives me chills.
Isn’t God so fascinating? I love how He works through our lives in ways we can’t anticipate.
What a beautiful story, Lisa. I remember Darryl from your previous post. Thank you for what you are doing to make love practical. Tomorrow morning, I’m going with my church to hand out Thanksgiving meals. So glad for this opportunity to serve as a family.
Praying for all the lives you will be touching this morning, Betsy! What a privilege that God allows us to partner with him in loving those around us. May your family receive multiple blessings in the process.
Lisa, these words, “It’s not because we love God so much that things change.
It’s because God loves us so much.” truly puts everything we do in perspective. God has been dealing with me and teaching me about relationships…both the good and the uncomfortable. Some weeks it seems as if the “uncomfortable” ones keep showing up the most and I am beginning to understand (especially after reading here, and your link about Daryl) that He is perfecting me in areas that only these “uncomfortable” are able to teach me. You are a blessing, Lisa.
Thanks for sharing this with us, Dianna. It does seem at times that God does inundate us with the uncomfortable ones more than normal. I’m not always a fan of those times! ha. But looking back, it is easier to see that God was working on us then, and be more appreciative of it. You’re a great blessing yourself, friend!
Beautiful post, Lisa. As I was beginning to read the thought hit me that “You’re on your way”. It’s about the heart yes, but that means very little without the action to back it up.
How wonderful that you get to see the fruits of your ministry. God is blessing you and your friend… and me. Thanks so much for sharing and encouraging.
Thanks, Floyd. It is definitely an extra blessing when we get to see the fruit; that isn’t something we can always count on. But when God shows us those glimpses, its such a pleasure to rejoice by sight and not just by faith.
You and I both read “Love Does” by Bob Goff a couple of years ago. I also just recently got the chance to hear him speak. I was definitely hearing his message in this post, too, as I always do from you because you two have the same message: love everybody always. I’m always thankful for this in you, Lisa. And love that idea of reading the passage twice — once to remember God’s love for us, then once to see how we can pour it into others. Perfect way to explain it. Thank you.
You got to hear Bob Goff??? Glad you go to do that, Caroline! I’d love to have had that experience. Thank you for your sweet words; I wish I could stay on focus more often (I fail miserably so much of the time!) because we always know we are on the right track when we are showing love.
Oh Lisa the power of love…the power of caring…the power of God’s word! Every day when I visit Curt at his memory care facility, I get to show love to the other residents and their family. I honestly never thought about how powerful it is until I read your post……I have seen those tears well up many times in the residents and their family members…..yes lovin on people that are hard to love is powerful….thanks for the timely reminder. Nice to catch up on a few blogs again!
I so appreciate your visit and your comment, Sandy! I still follow your blog and tweets and updates on Curt. Your faith and love are such awesome examples for all of us on how to love well when situations are so hard. I think of all those people you have blessed that you never would have known otherwise! Blessings to you, friend.