The 4 Ways I love Differently
In The Different Way we talked about being different than the world in three ways: walking in the Spirit, walking in kindness and walking in love. All of the things God takes us through result in love, not only for the brethren, but for Him. We love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). You can fake it ’til you have it with your brethren, but you cannot fake it with Jesus. Loving Jesus is a tight rope most people will not walk because they choose not to. We will walk the tight rope and follow the narrow path of Jesus because we love Him.
Love is a tight rope because so many people enjoy their hatred. It is a comfort blanket for them, but they will throw that blanket on you if you cross their path with the wrong colour shirt. The tight rope in our world is not others behaviour but ours. Are we strong enough to handle someone with pent up anger going off on us? Is our love of Jesus strong enough to continue loving Him, in spite of what He has allowed to happen in our life? Well, the amount of love you have for Jesus will determine how much you will be able to handle what comes your way.
There are many ways in which we should love Jesus. We don’t just love Him with an emotion we love Him with our actions. Jesus told us, if we love Him we will do His commandments (John 14:15) therefore love for Jesus is proven to Him by what we do, not what we say, hence the tightrope. Let me count the ways, for you, that I love Jesus.
Way 1: I love Him with my marriage and family.
My husband Bill and I have had many problems, during our 25 years of marriage, common to man. Jesus has had to step in many times to help us avoid murdering each other. He has stepped in the middle, with me, regarding my children and their spouses. I am not proud of the things I have said and done with my kids in the past but today I am very proud of who I am with them. BUT I can only be to my family what they see want me to be. If they don’t have a relationship with me they won’t see how much I love Jesus. The family members I know, and those who choose to have a relationship with me, are privy to my love of Jesus even if they don’t love Him. Those who choose not to have a relationship with me still receive kindness, but they won’t know my love for Jesus nor my commitment to them through loving Jesus. My husband and my children know I love Jesus because they have a relationship with me.
Way 2: I love Him with my friends
I don’t have many friends but those I do have at this moment I want to influence by the way I love Jesus. I love talking about Jesus so the friends that I choose are following the Way as well. Someone who isn’t, would not be able to handle how much I talk about Jesus, either they will get saved or they will run. I tell my friends, when I die the thing I want people to say about me most is that I loved Jesus well. My friends know I love Jesus because I talk the talk and walk the walk.
Way 3: I love Him with my Biblical studies
I could not and will not love Jesus unless I keep up my study of the Bible. I would not have the strength I have today, without it. I have been through some very disturbing things lately but Jesus has been comforting me with His Word and His commands to me. If I didn’t study the Word, I would not have known to do what I have done to quell the disturbing spirit within me. His Word has sometimes been my only solace. It has been the dictionary I have used to write all of my Strategic Life Skills Sessions. His Words put my soul on fire to put women’s lives in order. Jesus knows I love Him because I love His Word.
Way 4: I love Him with my ministry
Long ago when I was first saved Jesus called me to teach life skills from His Word. I have been waiting and growing along the way, writing life skills workshops, blogs and books. The time is fulfilled for me to walk in my ministry. I know this because I know my Jesus. I love Him enough to know He is calling me out onto the tightrope of ministry. I know I will have to fight fear, anger and hatred from people along the way too. The previous years of training and learning have prepared me to call on Jesus instantly when someone attacks me or my family. I am ready and willing to start the ministry Jesus has entrusted to me. Women will know I love them because I audaciously love Jesus.
It is my love of Jesus that makes me different from you and it will make you different from me. Being different is exactly what God is calling us to do. I am so in love with Jesus that I would stand in front of gunman to save your life as He commands. I wish that I could give up my salvation to give to you. He wants us to show our love differently to people, so they see Him. He wants us to do our ministry differently, so they see Him. If He wanted all of us to be the same, He would have created us the same. He didn’t, and I am so grateful for our differences because it makes life sweet. I love to look at women and see how God has formed them in such a delicate way. It thrills me, to no end, knowing Jesus is for me and He has made me for Him.
Loving Jesus means loving everything about your life, every aspect, every intricacy, every crook and cranny, every disturbing thing and every lovely thing. He created all of us to love with love in mind. We are always on the tightrope path to were Jesus wants us to go. I think we should just hang on and enjoy the ride. Take the blindfold off to see what He has in store for you and for me. The best places in the world are the places Jesus takes us. Fall in love with Him today and you too will see those places.
