so this is the last of the ten ways to Love and it might be good to mention again that i got these on a list and just expounded on them - this was originally number 4 but i bumped it to the end, not because it is any less important but because the others were more relevant to everyone whereas this one is specific to people of faith... Colossians 1.9 reads, 'For this reason, [...]
so wot an amazing weekend then... i started watching Formula 1 Grand Prix racing about 26 years ago when one of my Portuguese friends from Hillcrest Primary school in Johannesburg, South Africa invited me to watch this race - i remember it clearly because Nelson Piquet and his teammate led from start to finish and at the end of the race Piquet's teammate was the only person he had not lapped and so from then [...]
Proverbs 13.12 says 'Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.' which is nice and everything so if you give someone your word then make sure you are true to it otherwise you will give someone a sick heart. is what i think the author of the Ten Ways to Love list [which remember is not me, i am just expounding on this list] was meaning with this [...]
Colossians 3 verse 13 reads, 'Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.' i am not convinced that 'forgive and forget' is a biblical concept altho many people quote it as if it is... for me the idea that God has forgiven my sin and then developed some kind of universal amnesia is a lot less exciting than the picture [...]
Philippians 2 verse 14 to 16 says, 'Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.' [...]
Ephesians 4.15 says, 'Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.' Ah, i get it now! When i read 'Share without pretending' i had no idea what this was going to be about, but the verse link cleared it up. We are talking about speaking the truth in Love. And i would add in Proverbs 27.6 for [...]
my wife and i love children! other peoples! we love the bit where we get to give them back afterwards. and then return to our childrenless lair. [okay, it's not quite a lair, more an intentional community house in the inner city area of kensington, philadelphia... but still, no children living with us in the house at this particular point in time] so kind of like a choose-your-own-[children]-adventure of sorts - we get to decide [...]
Proverbs 17 verse 1 says, 'Better a dry crust with peace and quiet, than a house full of feasting, with strife.' i'm hoping there is a feasting with no strife option, but in the meantime i think i will reach for the dry crust. to Answer without Arguing feels like it belongs hand in hand with Speak without Accusing. and perhaps if person 1 speaks without accusing, then person 2 will be more inclined to [...]
Proverbs 21 verse 25 and 26 read, 'The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work. All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing.' Okay, so my hand is up again, but this time i think it's a good thing. Giving generously is a way in which we can show Love well. In fact when I read the words "without sparing" the [...]
James 1 verse 19-20 says, 'My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.' Oh no, why is my hand up again? Anyone else got their hand up in the air for this one? Really not starting so strong there, mister Fish. Another way to definitively show love to someone [...]