Ambitious Love

Years ago a company called “walk in love” entered our local Lancaster county mall. I couldn’t help but want to take a gander inside the door to find out what was happening in the store, which quickly became a popular stop for shoppers of all ages. Of course, I was an instant fan based on the theme and friendly greeting as soon as I entered their space.

After a few years, the mall store closed and went completely online. I lost track of “walk in love” until this year. After a long four years on our local school board and witnessing the anxiety and anger of a divided nation, I googled to see if the company was still in business. I was thrilled to see they are still producing high quality products and sharing the joy in their journey on the web! “Walk in Love” is a small family business run by a couple in our local area. AND, I love “shopping small”…

The other day I pulled out my “walk in love” tshirt and before putting it on, I asked myself a “simple” question. What does it really mean to “walk in love”? Simple right? Not really…

I decided to check my “go to” Book…the ONE I couldn’t live without. 1 Corinthians 13 could and probably should be read at least once a week and “chewed on” everyday. There is no possible way one can walk in complete love without have a greater understanding of what love really is.

I’m not going to include the entire chapter in this blog, BUT, I would strongly encourage everyone to read it. Slowly. Take it all in. Love is difficult and it’s only by the grace of God that we can understand and covey it. In every situation. After all, God has commanded that we love our neighbor and He also said of three things, Faith, Hope and Love…Love is the greatest.

So, breaking down part of the passage, I felt it was important to highlight both…what love is and what love is not.

Love IS patient. Love IS NOT impatient or hasty.

Love IS kind. Love IS NOT rude.

Love DOES NOT envy. Love IS NOT jealous.

Love DOES NOT boast. Love IS NOT proud.

Love honors. Love DOES NOT dishonor others

Love IS selfless. Love IS NOT self serving.

Love IS NOT easily angered. Love IS NOT volatile.

Love keeps no record of wrong. Love IS NOT holding grudges and unforgiveness.

Love delights in truth. Love abhores evil doing.

Love ALWAYS protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres!

LOVE NEVER FAILS!

There is more in this passage that is vital to gaining true comprehension of love. I’m convinced that love is an act of doing the greatest thing you can for someone else which is completely outside of yourself. That said, accomplishing something greater than oneself has to be the driving factor to achieving something so arduous.

Wrapping this up, reading “the love chapter” again, I realized how important it is to regularly read it. Our nation, through the use of social media and the embrace of sectarian politics, has become ugly and divided. Our political system promotes this every time we go to vote! It’s hard to change the system but it’s isn’t hard to change the heart. Jesus’ love was completly unconditional and THAT is the love we should strive for EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Love that is completely outside of what we can do on our own.

A popular song, created before I born in 1965, is titled, “What the world needs now is love”…Seems as if nothing has changed.

Here are the lyrics…

“What the world needs now is love, sweet love

It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of