NOVEMBER 1 – LIFE ACCOUNTING 102

 (Love) can patiently, quietly continue no matter what happens. It extends trust, believing each promise and every promise. It hopes fully in every respect (in God’s promises), so it may endure anything. Love never fails! (I Corinthians 13:7)

                  The thing about investments is that you generally want to build for the long-term. What is the asset that you want to “quietly continue” to grow during your lifetime? Jesus said the new command is to “love one another (John 13:14).” If that’s the work, the related asset certainly is human relationships. So, the equation for building that long-term value would be:

Rich Relationships = My Love + My Trust + My Hope

                  Paul begins with love, but he is telling his people at Corinth that the enduring work comes down to faith (trust), hope, and love (I Corinthians 13:13). With the love that is motivated by God’s love, made bold by a firm trust, and centered on a secure hope, you will have courage to risk investment in other people. Only then, will you be able to extend love and trust in a way that the world can’t understand, and fix your focus on your hope for the other person’s future. That kind of love is what makes for a rich relationship with another.

                   Trust the Lord today. Endure; persevere when life gets hard. Love, even when others don’t love you back. Let God’s love that never fails work through your life.

OCTOBER 28 – RULE PROBLEM – CONTROLS

But I would not have even thought about wanting and desiring so much, had it not been for the law saying, “don’t covet!” But, sin saw an opportunity in that commandment, and brought to my mind lusting after everything I could think about. (Romans7:7-8)

   Some people really like rules and regulations because they can set limits on how much abuse is allowed. Is your response to a rule ever, “How can I get around this?” In some ways, as compared to simple rules being applied with judgment, having a lot of detailed regulation can legitimize bad acts and bad actors if those actions are not too much or too bad. A regulated environment can encourage selective enforcement and punishment by you or by others.

                  As a Pharisee himself, Paul was familiar with all the bad ways to use laws and rules. Certainly, he saw the waste of time and needless oppression of people under a heavy load of rules. But, Paul also saw another aspect of the law. He observed that the sin remaining in his flesh seems to be drawn toward evil simply by knowing what is evil. Presenting the rules against actions, seemed to draw him to those very same prohibited actions as he thought about them.

                  Be cautious as you define your values to give definitions that are positive, and full of promise. Don’t engage in trying to control each detail. Let the Lord lead you to communicate in a clear and hopeful, yet simple and trusting way.