I grew up in a very strong and stable home.  My parents were faithful believers and salt of the earth people.  Our lives were filled with a sense of security and peace even when hard things happened, and they did. We lived on a farm and there was always work, laughter and love, plenty of love.  There were also people, lots of people filled our lives.  On Daddy’s side of the family I had 50 first cousins. On Mother’s side there were 2 first cousins but we were very close to them. Aunts, uncles and cousins of my parents lived close as well.  We visited and had many visits at our house by friends and family.  We gave our time and energy to be with people.  Sometimes there were needs, other times we were just sharing life. Our home life was secure and consistent.  We grew up understanding people mattered.  Selflessness was a way of life, we mattered and others mattered and relationships were the fabric of our lives.

I think because I experienced life this way John 3:16 was easy for me to believe. God so loved that he gave, He gave of himself, he invested Himself in people.  It was risky!  Still is!  But that is what love does!  Love isn’t about what I can keep or even what I will get out of it. To truly love we must give and give ourselves. 

I was having difficulty in a situation one time and praying to love a person that I was pretty frustrated with.  I heard the Father say…..your problem isn’t horizontal it is vertical.  I understood from that moment that my ability to love came from being able to know His love. The overflow of His love made loving another person genuine and easy, even in a hard situation. So my prayer changed to ….Father I want another dimension of your love.  It was amazing how quickly that prayer was answered.  Today I can say I do love that person, genuinely. That I can see they haven’t changed, but I have.  What joy and freedom that is for me. I have planted the seeds of love and still believe God is working in them and for them.  

Without fail when I share that story someone says to me.  So do you trust that person? …No….  Love and trust are two different issues. John 2:24 tells us Jesus didn’t entrust himself to people because he knew what was in people.  Yet.. he loved them.  His love changes people, His love in and through us can plant seeds that change people. We must know Jesus in increasing ways to truly love. So as we focus on knowing Him and we truly love Him the by- product is our love for others that overflows.  Is love risky, yep!  Is it worth it…..ask Jesus.

Melody