Saturday, June 29, 2013

Choices, Agape Style

Choose to suffer long
Choose to be kind.
Choose to speak edifying words
Regardless of what's on your mind.

Choose not to cloak yourself with invidia
Choose not to be a glutton of pride.
Put away all narcissism
And abandon abnormal response to stimuli.

Choose to be exuberant about the truth
Choose not to give approval to iniquity.
Choose not to publish others faults
And the best about them choose to believe.


Agape is a deliberate choice.  It is born out of a sincere reverence of God.
It IS NOT a love that is centered around people.  This love has God as it's primary
focus. It has nothing to do with you and your affections or the lack thereof.

Think about it, God gave His only son for us.
The thought of giving up an only child to be put to death for the sake of
sin does not evoke anything warm and fuzzy within. So don't expect the "warm and fuzzies" when you put 1 Corinthians 13 to work in your life.

Let's love on one another the way God loves us. This is how others will know we are Christians.(John 13:34-35)
Agape has to become a habit. It's expensive and laborious.  But it is worth it because God commands it and that settles it!


Suffer- to undergo or be subjected to injury; to put up with something or SOMEONE unpleasant
Invidia-envy
Glutton- a person DEVOTED to eating and drinking to excess or OVER indulgence.
Abnormal response to stimuli; easily annoyed, irritable