Careful What You Love For

Competing for love is a natural consequence of living.

And the fiercest contests have always revealed themselves in human relationships. Love is the binding agent of familial and romantic ventures. It’s what makes the world go round.

And God is the authority on it.

If I want to know how to love, I look to Him. And if I want to know who or what to love, I can get that from Him as well. But if I truly want to follow Jesus Christ, I have to be able to recognize some of the things I shouldn’t love too.

The “disciple whom Jesus loved” warned his readers:

“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride developed as a result of life’s possessions, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, [and] also its lusts, but the one who makes a practice of doing the will of God remains in the age [to come].” [1Jn. 2:15-17]

Our congregations are filled with men who claim to be disciples of Christ but are wholly unaware of how the forces of this world are enticing them and their families to participate in questionable behavior. On the other hand, the *F. A. T. man is defined by his willingness to be taught, for the Deceiver’s tactics are subtle but effective.

*[Faithful, Available and Teachable]

God’s men must act together as a herd of deer or a pack of meerkats. Somebody always has his head up, looking out for the others who are taking care of business.

And the business of discipleship in Christ is always a heads-up game. Falling for deception is bound to happen from time to time, but of no consequence if I’m willing to quickly climb back up on the horse.

Love is the Lord’s creation having no limits.

But the world exploits its potential.