Our relationship with God matters to Him. Our relationship with each other also matters to Him for He created all to be in relationship with each other in ways that are healthy for us. Friends are physical hugs from a loving God who sends specific people into our lives at just the right time to help us through life’s tough stuff. We discover that as we realize how deep the Father’s love for us really is; the more we love Him back. The bonus of our growing, intimate, loving relationship with God affects the depth of our love for others! I’ve seen, felt, and embraced this work in me for most of the years of my life! This “work” is God alone who refines our hearts, minds, and fills our souls with all of who He is for we are made in the image of God. Those who allow God to do in us what He does best are people who know Love, Faith, and Hope and the greatest of these is Love. (1 Corinthians 13) To God be the glory!
Our proverb of the day has a central verse for me today; “A friend loves at all times,” as written in NIV. Peterson, in The Message paraphrases this simple but profound truth as; “Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.”
I don’t know all I would like to know but I do know we need each other through good times and challenging times. God’s Word is full of directions for being hospital and helpful to each other. Jesus commands his disciples—Love each other as I have loved you” as He readies them to show the world that God’s love in us is our distinctive trademark as His disciples in this world!
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”—Jesus, John 13:34-35
God measures love by obedience, not by warm feelings and emotions that come and go. Obedience to Jesus is not a heavy legalistic burden or a way to earn salvation; rather, it is the natural fruit and evidence of genuine love for Him. While the command to love includes moral laws, Jesus primarily refers to His complete body of teachings which include how to relate to each other in healthy ways that benefit each other motivated and driven by God’s love in all of us.
Proverbs 17, The Message
A Whack on the Head of a Fool
A meal of bread and water in contented peace
is better than a banquet spiced with quarrels.
2 A wise servant takes charge of an unruly child
and is honored as one of the family.
3 As silver in a crucible and gold in a pan,
so our lives are refined by God.
4 Evil people relish malicious conversation;
the ears of liars itch for dirty gossip.
5 Whoever mocks poor people insults their Creator;
gloating over misfortune is a punishable crime.
6 Old people are distinguished by grandchildren;
children take pride in their parents.
7 We don’t expect eloquence from fools,
nor do we expect lies from our leaders.
8 Receiving a gift is like getting a rare gemstone;
any way you look at it, you see beauty refracted.
9 Overlook an offense and bond a friendship;
fasten on to a slight and—good-bye, friend!
10 A quiet rebuke to a person of good sense
does more than a whack on the head of a fool.
11 Criminals out looking for nothing but trouble
won’t have to wait long—they’ll meet it coming and going!
12 Better to meet a grizzly robbed of her cubs
than a fool hellbent on folly.
13 Those who return evil for good
will meet their own evil returning.
14 The start of a quarrel is like a leak in a dam,
so stop it before it bursts.
15 Whitewashing bad people and throwing mud on good people
are equally abhorrent to God.
16 What’s this? Fools out shopping for wisdom!
They wouldn’t recognize it if they saw it!
One Who Knows Much Says Little
17 Friends love through all kinds of weather,
and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.
18 It’s stupid to try to get something for nothing,
or run up huge bills you can never pay.
19 The person who courts sin marries trouble;
build a wall, invite a burglar.
20 A bad motive can’t achieve a good end;
double-talk brings you double trouble.
21 Having a fool for a child is misery;
it’s no fun being the parent of a dolt.
22 A cheerful disposition is good for your health;
gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.
23 The wicked take bribes under the table;
they show nothing but contempt for justice.
24 The perceptive find wisdom in their own front yard;
fools look for it everywhere but right here.
25 A surly, stupid child is sheer pain to a father,
a bitter pill for a mother to swallow.
26 It’s wrong to penalize good behavior,
or make good citizens pay for the crimes of others.
27 The one who knows much says little;
an understanding person remains calm.
28 Even dunces who keep quiet are thought to be wise;
as long as they keep their mouths shut, they’re smart.
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
We all have sinned in the area of relationship building. When we are at odds with someone over a trivial offense or a tragic failure in communication; we are not at peace until the relationship is mended and restored. We also know how miserable we were until our relationship with God is restored. In fact, our reconciled relationship with God begins the restoration process for all other relationships!
THINK ABOUT IT—
Jesus Christ gave this lengthy private teaching to His disciples based on knowing real love as the love of God. This final lesson took place in the upper room right after the Jesus announced that one of the disciples will betray Him. Judas suddenly leaves the room—after Jesus washed his feet and all the feet of the others before serving the traditional Passover Meal. This meal began a new tradition for Jesus was the Messiah come. The “empty chair” was filled by prophecy and fulfilment of all that had been written about Him. It is in this moment instruction, Jesus says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15, ESV). The unmistakable meaning of the passage is that obedience to Christ’s commandments is both a sign and a test of our love for Him.
The connection between love for Christ and obedience to Him is a recurring theme in the apostle John’s writings: “This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. John was called Jesus “beloved” disciple for John accepted and lived the love of God to the world.
When Jesus mean says, “Keep my commands?” Bible scholars agree that the words John uses in the original language are not merely to be understood as obeying a series of moral instructions. These “commands” encompass all of Jesus’ words and teachings, which, in truth, are God the Father’s words: because Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me” (John 14:23–24) Obedience to God demonstrates our love for God.
GOD’S WORK BEARS THE FRUITS OF HIS CHARACTER—IF WE ARE WILLING AND OBEDIENT!
This is another theme in our proverb of the day! God refines people like precious metal. Through trials and diverse circumstances, God identifies the dross (what does not belong) within the human heart and removes it all to the degree to which that heart trusts in the Lord. Because the refining process requires expertise and an intimate knowledge of the tools and metals involved, it is a beautiful metaphor for God’s testing of each one of our hearts! It is God who produces His Masterpiece, made in His image, born of His Spirit, and refined for His glory! What a beautiful, blessed thought!
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” Galatians 5:22-26
These are the fruits that form loving relationships with God and each other!
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10, NLT
Lord,
Cleanse our hearts, remove all that is not of You. Renew our minds so we think more like you and respond to each other more like you. Refresh and reset our souls to your default setting called Love. Restore to us the joy of your work of salvation, that includes the molding, shaping and purification of our whole beings committed to you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
In Jesus Name, Amen
