Loving Little

Last week I referred to the line in the Waylon and Willie song that says: "Maybe it's time we got back to the basics of Love".
Love is the central theme of the Bible. Love is talked about more in our Bibles than any other subject. It is the filter that you receive all the other scripture through. If you had to define God with one word, "love" would be that word. It is the most controlling influence in the world. All the good in the world has love at it's root, and all evil has a lack of love at it's foundation. Love is the motivation for more songs being written than all the other songs put together....both secular and spiritual. I could "blog" for days, weeks, and months and NEVER write all that could be discussed revolving around the subject of love. It's that deep and wide.

Do you remember the phrase "loves little" from scripture? It may appear several times, but the time I am pointing you to is in Luke 7 when Jesus is talking to Simon the Pharisee. Jesus is defending the sinful woman, and basically tells Simon that the reason he "loves little" is because he perceives himself as being forgiven of little. Do you have a "loves little" problem? Do I? If so, let me suggest the truth that applied to Simon applies to us.........we aren't humble enough to acknowledge our need for forgiveness for the sins in our lives. Forgiveness is something everybody else needs.....because their sins are greater and more numerous than mine. Forgiveness is something you need, because you don't hold the same doctrines that I do.......and mine are the RIGHT ones. Like Simon, until we come to grips with our NEED for forgiveness.....we will continue to "love little". I don't think that means just loving God little.......I think it means the ability to love ANY and EVERY person. That should get our attention really quick.

I probably can't quote you chapter and verse, but I believe this has another twist to it also. Because we "love little", we don't perceive ourselves as being forgiven of very much. Remember, that is the reason Jesus told Simon he was a "love little" individual. Here is the twist.......feeling like we don't need to be forgiven of anything then influences us in our ability, or lack of ability, to forgive. I truly believe we forgive to the level we PERCEIVE WE have been forgiven. It's really easy to forgive when you see your sins as being greater than those of the people you are having to forgive. Isn't it? Wasn't that what captured Paul's heart.......knowing EVEN he, the "Chief of Sinners" was loved enough to be forgiven? Knowing his past, how hard do you think it was for Paul to forgive or to offer Grace freely? How did he have any other choice? We are all Paul....we've ALL been lost to the same level he was. What keeps us from grasping that truth? Is it pride? Is it fear of acceptance? Is it ignorance? It should motivate us when we read Jesus telling us that we will be forgiven at the same level we are able to forgive! I pray with you that I too will see the log in my own eye, and see how MUCH I am forgiven on a daily basis.........so as to help me be able to be a loving, forgiving, and Grace-filled disciple. The other option keeps me from being the very light and salt that I want to be.

I believe in HIM!