This week I watched a movie called "Paper Heart." Set up documentary style, Charlene Yi is on a quest to discover what love really is. She interviews all sorts of crazy characters and eventually falls in love herself with Michael Cera (that kid from Juno). Though entertaining, it wasn't the best movie ever, but it did have a quote that stood out to me in light of studying "Love" as the first character trait in Tom Yeakley's book. The quote was given by an author who writes romance novels. Not that I think romance novel writers are anywhere near knowledgeable on love, but I think this one in particular was on to something:
"In an 'HEA ending'... happily ever after...There's always something where the characters are sacrificing...one is sacrificing for the other and that's their sign that they're really in love with that person. So at some point the character has to make some kind of a personal sacrifice..."
Well said, romance novel lady, well said.
Isn't their something in the human spirit that recognizes that real love cannot exist without sacrifice? Not just romantic love, but all love. The reason being is sacrifice equals selflessness and the opposite characteristic of selfishness seeks only what can be gained for one's own good rather than thinking of the other person. That is not love. But a heart that truly loves others will sacrifice for the other person. After all, isn't that the example of Christ's love for us? Wasn't he the ultimate sacrificing of self for our life to come ? And isn't He the one who IS love to start with?
Isn't their something in the human spirit that recognizes that real love cannot exist without sacrifice? Not just romantic love, but all love. The reason being is sacrifice equals selflessness and the opposite characteristic of selfishness seeks only what can be gained for one's own good rather than thinking of the other person. That is not love. But a heart that truly loves others will sacrifice for the other person. After all, isn't that the example of Christ's love for us? Wasn't he the ultimate sacrificing of self for our life to come ? And isn't He the one who IS love to start with?
The apostle Paul should have been in that documentary. I mean, that guy had a lot to say about love. As I studied 1 Corinthians 13 as part of my research on love in leadership, I was blown away by the Amplified version of this passage. Some of the phrases cut to the heart, i mean things like
And speaking of following, Yeakley's made some great points on love and leadership.
And truth be told, the leader's I've wanted to follow have not been the ones that have taught me tons of ministry skills, or been impressive by their ministry knowledge. But they've been the ones that loved God well, held goals with an open hand, and loved me through sacrificing things to help me in the process.
"If we focus our life on love, our leadership will be honoring to God and attractive to others." ~Tom Yeakley
As I've processed this, I realize sacrifice it so key to loving well those around us. I'm challenged to think, how can I sacrifice more for my family, the girls I disciple, my friends? How can I encourage and build up with a value for the person, not a value for what they accomplish? How do I react if something or someone fails? How do I receive the prodical when they've run? I have a choice, to look for my gain, or to sacrifice for their gain.
I am challenged by my lack of love in evidence in my selfishness, but encouraged that God's love in me will have a positive impact on the world.. And ultimately it always comes back to looking into the face of Jesus, the one who defined love by sacrifice, and asking for wisdom to be more like Him. I mean after all, I can bank on it, cause love, or rather God's love in me, never fails, becomes obsolete or fades out to ending. And that is something worth seeking after.
This blog brought to you by Romance Novel Lady and her bright pink Barbuchi lipstick.
- "if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God's love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody).
- Love endures long and is patient and kind;
- Love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy,
- Love is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
- Love is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride);
- Love is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly.
- Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking;
- Love is not touchy or fretful or resentful;
- Love takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
- Love does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.
- Love bears up under anything and everything that comes.
- Love is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
- Love never fails, never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end.
And speaking of following, Yeakley's made some great points on love and leadership.
"Leaders who love will always seek the highest good for other people instead of using them as tools to accomplish a goal."This point is so true! Likewise, Yeakley says that:
"Leaders who lack love tend to have a performance based value system rather than a love-based system built on the Grace of God."As a leader in a ministry, I need to really take into account my heart and my motive. Is my goal only to have successful Bible Studies, people "doing" campus ministry well? Or am I basing my goals on sacrificing for the good of those I lead, desiring the best for those that are growing, and being with them even if campus goals don't get met. Goals are not nearly as important as people.
And truth be told, the leader's I've wanted to follow have not been the ones that have taught me tons of ministry skills, or been impressive by their ministry knowledge. But they've been the ones that loved God well, held goals with an open hand, and loved me through sacrificing things to help me in the process.
"If we focus our life on love, our leadership will be honoring to God and attractive to others." ~Tom Yeakley
As I've processed this, I realize sacrifice it so key to loving well those around us. I'm challenged to think, how can I sacrifice more for my family, the girls I disciple, my friends? How can I encourage and build up with a value for the person, not a value for what they accomplish? How do I react if something or someone fails? How do I receive the prodical when they've run? I have a choice, to look for my gain, or to sacrifice for their gain.
I am challenged by my lack of love in evidence in my selfishness, but encouraged that God's love in me will have a positive impact on the world.. And ultimately it always comes back to looking into the face of Jesus, the one who defined love by sacrifice, and asking for wisdom to be more like Him. I mean after all, I can bank on it, cause love, or rather God's love in me, never fails, becomes obsolete or fades out to ending. And that is something worth seeking after.
This blog brought to you by Romance Novel Lady and her bright pink Barbuchi lipstick.
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