The thing about growing pains is that they help you to grow. You flourish. You blossom. You exude grace and humility that grabs the attention.
All that happens, whilst still going through the discomfort that comes in leaving the comfort of what you have known to access what there is to know.
No better place is this seen than knowing about love. When I was a lot younger, love was getting goodies from my Mum when she went shopping. Love was knowing there was food on my table and a bed in which to sleep. I received love, so love was about giving good things.
At the time, though, love was giving good things to those I thought were good people. Not only that but it was about good things to good people at a time good for me when I felt good. Don’t blame anyone for that. This is what it was to me.
So getting to know Jesus got very awkward indeed. I mean at the start told of the song Jesus Loves Me, it was Mum’s goodies whilst shopping all over again. Him loving me first was great. Him having a plan for me was sweet. Him supplying all my needs was sensational. What could possibly go wrong?
The love. That was it.
The more I grew to know Him, the more it became scarily clear that His love was a lot more than the one with which I grew up. This love was more than just something for good people. It was holy love spreading to anyone from any background even the ones alien and off-putting to me.
This love was more than something expressed at a time convenient to me. This is a love that went all the way to ultimate suffering. This love compelled folks to cross cultural divides, risk their lives and suffer for the sake of Him who loves us.
Here is a love that sees strangers from strange lands and extends warm hospitality. Here is a love that considers his neighbour to include the members of the enemy.
There is the love being seriously inconvenienced, but seeing an example of Christ-life and going ahead to be there for them whatever the situation.
Growing in knowing this love exposes our will to ourselves. The innate selfishness and pride are seen for the hindrances they are to a love that transcends my petty squabbles and reflects the character of the Creator. Every day we have a chance to live out this love. Every so often we see what it will cost us to share that love – and only the Spirit of God allows us to do so.
He was having a tough time. His wife had taken the children and gone onto stay with her ‘beloved’ mother. His workplace had announced a round of redundancies and so his job was at risk. This happened at the worst of times. He was looking to relocate, but his debts appeared to be too crippling and the church he belonged to seemed to have their head in the clouds and not be in any position to help.
After a heated argument with his solicitor, his phone rang. He looked at the Caller ID, it was a sister he knew well. Sweet though she was, she tended to waffle on and on. She seemed to call him just to release pent up frustration. She almost couldn’t help herself. He really didn’t want to take the call. His head was mashed, surely he had no room left for her.
Then love kicked in. He accepted the call.
There are no easy ways out. There are no shortcuts. The love of God in us gives us the strength to do what it takes to love as He loved.
It’s a necessary pain to let us grow to love beyond the self.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 