Daily Stop & Thinks

Love

Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence. (H. L. Mencken, late journalist)

God has created us with minds that can accumulate knowledge but can also soar with imagination and creativity. We have more than just intellect; we have hearts that bring meaning and emotion to our lives. Don’t be satisfied with mere intellectual achievement, but remember that love adds to what is lacking in mere knowledge.

Don’t ever forget [love] and truth. Wear them like a necklace. write them on your heart as if on a tablet (Proverbs 3:3).

Love

A wise lover values not so much the gift of the lover as the love of the giver. (Thomas à Kempis, (German Dutch Catholic canon)

Everyone loves to give and receive gifts. Whether it’s Christmas, your birthday, or Valentine’s Day, it’s nice to be remembered with a gift. With children, the gift often matters more than the giver. But, As we mature, it isn’t the size or the value; it’s the expression of the love of the giver that we cherish.

God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son.… We love because he first loved us (John 3:16; 1 John 4:19).

Love

In our life there is a single color, as on an artist`s palette, which provides the meaning of life and art. It is the color of love. (Marc Chagall, late French artist)

We may think of black as the color of evil in contrast to white or red for love. There would, no doubt, be many shades in between to represent the variety of emotions and characteristics within the human heart. Chagall may be on to something. No matter what color says love to you, love God supremely and others selflessly.

 Jesus: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. . . . . [and] Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:27, 29).

Love

The best thing a father can do for his children is love their mother. (Abraham Lincoln)

On this anniversary of Lincoln’s birth, we would do well to recall some of his wisdom. This admonition of his is perhaps one of the most needed today. Many families are in trouble, and as a result, our neighborhoods suffer from their dysfunction. This one challenge—that fathers love their wives–would make a significant difference.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (Ephesians 5:25).

Love

Truth without love is brutality. Love without truth is hypocrisy  (Mike Lee, former pastor)

Some apologists revere revealed truth and may offend others by the bold way they express it. The Bible teaches us to “speak the truth in love,” but at the same time, we should be careful of going to the extreme of being so gracious and loving that we water down truth in order not to offend someone. Jesus set the example when he spoke the truth with grace.

Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ—the Son of the Father—will continue to be with us who live in truth and love (2 John 1:3).

Love

I decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to carry. (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

There’s something unusual about hatred. When we hate someone, we carry that emotion constantly and suffer from it. At the same time, the person we hate may be completely unaware of our feelings. He is free; we are burdened. How much better to love; everyone benefits.

But to you who are willing to listen, I say, “Love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you” (Luke 6:27).

Love

Love, and do what you will. (Augustine)

This sounds good. But maybe we’d better stop to think about what the writer is really saying. If Augustine meant that love is the basis for all proper conduct, we could probably agree. The Bible says that love can overlook the shortcomings of other people, but nowhere does it suggest that love can be an excuse for doing wrong. No; biblical love always wants the best for others.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Love

Love has different shapes, like the falling snow in winter. (Rizki Deni, university student)

Among the many gifts of God in the natural world are the changing of the seasons. Not everyone is as pleased with snow as those who love winter sports. But snow is just another reality that helps us understand the blessings of God in nature. Today, the changing seasons are one evidence of his love. But he showed his eternal love by giving us his son, Jesus.

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him (1 John 4:9).

Love

People were created to be loved. Things were created to be used. The reason the world is in chaos is because things are being loved and people are being used. (Author unknown)

What an accurate perspective on life around the world today! As people accumulate more, they often develop an unhealthy attachment to things. On the other hand, multitudes of needy people are neglected and too often used for political purposes or personal gain. We should strive to help reverse this wrong.

You do well when you obey the Holy Writings, which say, “You must love your neighbor as you love yourself” (James 2:8).

Love

Some people care too much, I think they call it love. (Winnie the Pooh, cartoon character)

What is love after all? While there are a lot of romantic ideas about love, according to the Bible, real love is acting toward another in his or her best interest. It’s an unselfish action. If everyone understood and practiced this kind of love, no doubt there would be stronger marriages and families and far less violence in today’s society.

Let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions (1 John 3:18).

Love

When love is felt, the message is heard. (Jim Vaus, converted gangster)

It’s sometimes difficult to relay unpleasant news or offer a correction. But even difficult words, spoken in love, can be well received and appreciated. As someone else put it, “Nobody cares what you know until they know that you care.” We all need to learn how to say hard things with an attitude of concern, humility, and love.

. . . we will speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).

Love

Unqualified love means there are no prerequisites, no contingencies, no requirements for your love. It is a gift given with no strings attached. (Inspiration Line)

Love is more than a romantic notion. Love doesn’t take inventory or give an exam to qualify another’s value before deciding to love. It is an act of the will; an action word, and a virtue that we do not come by naturally; it is a gift. True love expects nothing in return.

Let us love one another, for love comes from God (1 John 4:7).