In my time spent in India I've been awakened to a number of lessons that have changed me and made my ministry more effective for the Kingdom. One of those lessons is living out love as an action. I have been reading a book by Andrew Martin, called Love Is an Orientation, and while the book was written to elevate the conversation between Christ followers and the GLBT (Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender) Community, it has really opened my eyes as a means to elevating the conversation with all those missing from the Kingdom of God. Jesus advised the followers in his midst to love and it's been the overarching lesson for my time in India.
An expert in the law asked Jesus, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matt 36-40
In his book Andrew writes,
The Bible is full of stories that teach us how to love, instead of just giving us instruction on how to verbally communicate love. Love is to be an action-not a word. Love is recognizing the power of Christ to do what we could only imagine, like physically going to him with the faith of a Roman centurion-greater than all other faith in Israel. Love is stepping outside the boat to meet your Savior by walking on water, when every ounce of your body is telling you otherwise. Love is cutting a whole in a roof and lowering your crippled friend to Jesus when there are no other accessible means to the one who can heal. Love is a poor widow dropping all she has-two very small copper coins worth nothing-into God's treasury with no guarantee she'll make it another day. Love is stepping out of all cultural norms to help a beaten-up man lying on the side of the street, despite the fact that his culture despises yours. And love is being the first one to drop the stone because you know your life and sins are no less than any other.
That's all I have to share today. I pray we have ears to hear the message Jesus died to convey.
I love you all!
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